Coccochondra is characterized by its woody shrub habit, small leathery leaves, interpetiolar stipules, axillary cymose inflorescences, small white corollas with the lobes valvate in bud, and drupaceous fruits with two pyrenes that each contain one seed. it includes four species found in the Guayana Highlands, all of which are poorly known. This genus was originally published under the name Chondrococcus Steyerm., however that name was previously published for another genus so it now goes under its replacement name Coccochondra. Coccochondra was regarded as monotypic and very poorly known until Taylor (2011) reviewed it, and transferred to it several anomalous and also poorly known species from Psychotria and documented the ways in which the group is poorly known. Taylor also separated two subgenera, with the typical subgenus monotypic with only Steyermark's original Chondrococcus species and subg. Durifolia comprising the three species that were formerly classified in Psychotria. Coccochondra laevis is the most commonly collected species of the genus, but it cannot be considered commonly collected. 

The ovaries and fruits of Coccochondra have not been documented well, but do not fully agree with Steyermark's description of them. The fruits of Coccochondra laevis were interpreted by him to be dry and crustaceous, and possibly tardily schizocarpous with the two segments separating from each other; however, that conclusion was based on herbarium specimens that may not be fully mature or preserved, and better material will be needed to confirm this. Steyermark also described and illustrated the ovules of Coccochondra laevis as inserted basally but anatropous and pendulous; this species is known only from a few specimens at NY and US, and its ovule orientation has not been re-evaluated here but this combination of characters is quite odd. Steyermark also illustrated the ovules of Coccochondra phelpsiana (as Psychotria phelpsiana) as axile and pendulous, but study of specimens of this species shows that is inaccurate and those ovules are basal and erect (Taylor 2011).

The tissues of these plants contain raphides, and based its character set these plants have been classified in the tribe Psychotrieae (Steyermark, 1972; Taylor 1996; Taylor et al., 2004). None of the species of Coccochondra has been studied with molecular data, so its relationships in our current knowledge of Rubiaceae systematics is unknown. The circumscription of the Psychotrieae has changed significantly in recent years based on molecular analyses, and Coccochondra no longer agrees morphologically with this tribe. Many of the lineages that were excluded from Psychotrieae were transferred to Palicoureeae, but Coccochondra does not agree morphologically with this tribe either. Its reduced features do not clarify its relationships. Coccochondra is here included in the subfamily Rubioideae based on its raphides, which are not unique to this subfamily but are most often found in this group, but it is considered otherwise unplaced. In general aspect and many morphological details, Coccochondra is similar in several features to Ronabea and Saldinia, in the Lasiantheae, and its relationship to those groups might usefully be investigated further.  

Author: C.M. Taylor.
The content of this web page was last revised on 10 May 2020.
Taylor web page: http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Research/curators/taylor.shtml

• Taylor, C. M. 2011. The genus Coccochondra (neotropical Rubiaceae) expanded. Pl. Ecol. Evol. 144(1): 115–118.
• Taylor, C. M., J. A. Steyermark, P. G. Delprete, A. Vincentini, R. Cortés-Ballén, D. C. Zappi, C. H. Persson, C. B. Costa & E. Anunciação. 2004. Rubiaceae. 8: 497–847. In J. A. Steyermark, P. E. Berry & B. K. Holst (eds.) Fl. Venez. Guayana. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis.
• Taylor, C. M. 1996. Overview of the Psychotrieae (Rubiaceae) in the Neotropics. Opera Bot. Belg. 7: 261–270.