Cojoba is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the legume family Fabaceae, within the order Fabales. It comprises 15 accepted species, distributed throughout the tropical Americas — from northern Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean, south to Bolivia and northern Brazil.
The genus was formally described by Nathaniel Lord Britton and Joseph Nelson Rose, published in North American Flora, volume 23, part 1, page 29 (1928). Its type species is Cojoba arborea, a widespread tree found across much of the genus's range. Other species in the genus include Cojoba catenata, Cojoba costaricensis, and Cojoba rufescens, all native to Central America.
As a member of Fabaceae, Cojoba belongs to one of the largest and most economically important plant families, which includes many nitrogen-fixing legumes, trees, and shrubs found across nearly every terrestrial habitat.
Distribution
Cojoba species range through the tropical Americas, from northern Mexico through Central America and the Caribbean, south to Bolivia and northern Brazil.
Taxonomy Notes
The genus was described by Britton and Rose in North American Flora 23(1): 29 (1928), with Cojoba arborea designated as the type species. GBIF confirms placement in family Fabaceae, order Fabales, with the same authorship and publication.
