The genus
Hoplestigma was established by
Jean Baptiste Louis Pierre in 1899. The genus name
Hoplestigma is
derived from the
Greek , "a hoof or a cloven hoof" and
stigma, "a flower stigma". The
botanical name is a reference to the deeply
bifid style. The family placement of the genus has varied. It was traditionally included in Boraginaceae
sensu lato, as it was in the
APG IV system, and by
Plants of the World Online . A study of
pollen in 1989 suggested that
Hoplestigma might be
related to the family Ehretiaceae (= Boraginaceae subfamily
Ehretioideae). In a 2014
molecular phylogenetic study based on
chloroplast DNA,
Hoplestigma formed a
strongly supported clade with
Coldenia and genera that have been placed in the family Cordiaceae (= Boraginaceae subfamily
Cordioideae) and the authors recommended that
Hoplestigma and
Coldenia be included in Cordiaceae. In 2016, the Boraginales Working Group placed
Hoplestigma in its own family Hoplestigmataceae.
Species , two species were recognized: •
Hoplestigma klaineanum Pierre •
Hoplestigma pierreanum Gilg Both are
rare trees of
lowland jungle in
West and
Central Africa. == References ==