Chione is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae containing the single species Chione venosa. It is native to the neotropics, occurring in most of Mexico, and throughout Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. It is typically a tree growing 10 to 20 meters tall. In harsh habitats, it may be dwarfed and shrubby. It has no known economic use.
Systematics The genus Chione was erected by de Candolle in his Prodromus in 1830.Augustin Pyramus de Candolle. 1830. Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis. 4: 461.Chione In: International Plant Names Index The name of the genus is derived from the Greek word chion, meaning snow. The biological type for the genus are those plants which de Candolle called Chione glabra.Chione In: Index Nominum Genericorum. In: Regnum Vegetabile These are now included in Chione venosa var. venosa but per ICN, Chione glabra retains its status as type.
Some authors have assigned as many as 15 species to Chione, but usually only one species is recognized, Chione venosa. In 2003, two species were removed from Chione and placed in a new genus, Colleteria. The remaining species of Chione were combined into one species, Chione venosa, with four varieties. Chione and Colleteria are the only genera in the subfamily Cinchonoideae that have not been assigned to a tribe. They will be placed in a tribe, possibly a new one, after further morphological study.
Varieties Chione venosa var. buxifolia (Dwyer & M.V.Hayden) David W.Taylor – Panama Chione venosa var. cubensis (A.Rich.) David W.Taylor – Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic Chione venosa var. mexicana (Standl.) David W.Taylor – Mexico Chione venosa var. venosa – southern Mexico, Central America, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, Lesser Antilles, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
References
External links Chione in the World Checklist of Rubiaceae Chione In Prodromus Systematis Naturalis Regni Vegetabilis At Botanicus Chione At IPNI Chione In Index Nominum Genericorum At Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Chione in Tropicos Chione At GRIN Taxonomy for Plants Chione At UniProt