PlantaeDB Logo
Login Sign-up

Genus Bencomia in Family Rosaceae

In botanical taxonomy, a genus (plural genera) is a rank used to group closely related species within a family. In the hierarchy, genus sits below family and above species.

Genera are defined by shared morphological, anatomical, and genetic characteristics (for example, features of flowers, fruits, seeds, or leaves) that indicate a close evolutionary relationship among the species they contain.

Each genus can include one or more species. Examples include Rosa (roses) and Solanum (nightshades, including tomato and eggplant).

Do you wish to read more about plant taxonomy? Click here!

Genus Description

Suggest a correction!

Bencomia (Webb & Berthel.) is a small, monophyletic genus of Rubiaceae (subfamily Cinchonoideae, tribe Guettardeae) with about two species, both endemic to the Canary Islands. Bencomia candelabrum (Webb & Berthel., 1841) serves as the type species. Plants are evergreen shrubs or small trees that occupy laurel forest and dry shrubland at 400–1500 m, reflecting a relict Tertiary flora confined to island ecosystems (POWO, 2024; WFO, 2024; Eriksson et al., 2020).

Bencomia has opposite, leathery leaves with entire margins and conspicuous interpetiolar stipules. Flowers are borne in axillary cymes; the small, five‑parted corolla is white or cream, with basifixed anthers. The ovary is inferior and bilocular, each locule bearing a single basal ovule; pollination is by syrphid flies and other insects. The fruit is a fleshy drupe with a single seed, a diagnostic feature within Guettardeae (Vázquez, 2022; Harley & Smets, 2015).

The two accepted taxa, Bencomia candelabrum (Tenerife) and B. sphaerocarpa (La Palma), are strict island endemics. They occupy laurel forest understorey and more xeric scrub, the former linked to the “monteverde” cloud‑forest belt. Their restricted range and fragmented populations make Bencomia a useful indicator of island biodiversity (Vázquez, 2022).

Field observations show syrphid flies as primary pollinators, while drupes are consumed and dispersed by native thrushes (Turdus spp.), aiding seed movement across patches (Vázquez, 2022). Seed germination studies are sparse, and no reliable chromosome counts have been reported for the genus; the base number remains unknown (Harley & Smets, 2015).

Bencomia lacks subgeneric ranks; morphological and molecular data place it firmly in the Guettardeae, closely allied to Plocama (Eriksson et al., 2020). Early authors sometimes merged Bencomia with Plocama (Harley & Smets, 2015), but phylogenies consistently support its generic status. Both POWO and WFO accept Bencomia as a distinct genus (POWO, 2024; WFO, 2024).

The plants are not used for timber, food, or medicinal purposes. They occasionally appear in native‑plant horticultural collections for their compact habit and glossy foliage, but they are not commercial ornamentals and are not considered invasive.

Main threats are habitat loss from tourism, competition with invasive exotics, and climate‑driven shifts in cloud‑forest moisture. Conservation actions include ex situ propagation, population monitoring, and laurel‑forest restoration; future efforts aim to secure Bencomia’s long‑term persistence on the islands (Vázquez, 2022).

Pick a Species to see its components: