Blepharidium

Blepharidium is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. The genus contains only one species, viz. Blepharidium guatemalense, which is native to Guatemala, Honduras and southern Mexico (Chiapas, Campeche, Tabasco).^[2] Older works might mention two species (viz. B. guatemalense and B. mexicanum).^[3]

Blepharidium
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Rubiaceae
Subfamily:	Cinchonoideae
Tribe:	Rondeletieae
Genus:	Blepharidium Standl.
Species:	B. guatemalense
Binomial name
Blepharidium guatemalense Standl.

Systematics

Blepharidium was named by Paul Standley in 1918.^[4] The name is derived from the Ancient Greek words blepharitis or blepharidos, meaning "on an eyelid". The similar term, blepharis means "an eyelash".^[5]

A cladistic analysis of morphological characters found Blepharidium to be closely related to Cosmibuena, Balmea, and Hillia,^[6] but a molecular phylogenetic study placed it closer to Rondeletia.^[7]