Ruizia is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Malvaceae. It contains 13 species native mostly to the Mascarene Islands (Mauritius and Réunion), and one species native to Madagascar.
The genus was described in 1786 by Antonio José Cavanilles, and named for Spanish botanist Hipólito Ruiz López (1754–1815). It was long thought to contain a single species, Ruizia cordata, endemic to Réunion. In 2021 the genus was re-circumscribed to include the genus Trochetia and several species formerly classed in genus Dombeya.Dorr, L.J. and Wurdack, K.J. (2021), Indo-Asian Eriolaena expanded to include two Malagasy genera, and other generic realignments based on molecular phylogenetics of Dombeyoideae (Malvaceae). Taxon, 70: 99-126. https://doi.org/10.1002/tax.12370
Species 13 species are currently accepted: Subgenus Trochetia Ruizia blackburniana – Mauritius Ruizia boutoniana – Mauritius Ruizia granulata - Reunion Ruizia parviflora - Mauritius (Mount Corps de Garde) Ruizia triflora - Mauritius Ruizia uniflora - Mauritius Subgenus Ruizia Ruizia cordata – Réunion Subgenus Dombeya Ruizia ferruginea – Mascarene Islands Ruizia mauritiana – Mauritius Ruizia parviflora - Mauritius (Mount Corps de garde) Ruizia populnea – Mascarene Islands ? Ruizia rosea – Mauritius Ruizia sevathianii – Mauritius Ruizia tremula – southwestern Madagascar
References