Some authors suggested (Capuron, ined. ms.; Schatz, Generic Tree Flora of Madagascar) that the Mascarene genus Fernelia might better be circumscribed more broadly to include the related genera Flagenium, Canephora, Galiniera, Lemyrea and Gallienia. However Stone & Davis (2004) reviewed all of these genera and provisionally separated and recognized all of them.
Galiniera includes 2 species, one in Africa and the other in Madagascar, and is characterized by its petioles articulated at the base, sharply triangular interpetiolar stipules, axillary inflorescences, bisexual flowers with 5 calyx lobes, corolla lobes, and stamens, white to pink corollas that are funnelform to subrotate, long narrow anthers dorifixed near their bases on very short filaments, deeply divided stigmas that generally remain pressed together, 2-locular ovaries with several ovules pendulous from near the apex, berry-like fruits, and seeds with ruminate endosperm and the testa finely reticulated (Bridson & Verdcourt 1988). The African species has fruits that are red at maturity.