228 Species of Genus Cordia

Cordia: A Deep Dive with Ferb Vu

The world of botany is a vast and fascinating one, filled with an incredible diversity of plant life. As an enthusiast, I’m always eager to delve deeper into specific genera and explore their unique characteristics. Today, I want to share my insights on the genus Cordia, a group of flowering plants that has captured my attention with its remarkable adaptability and diverse applications.  

What is Cordia?

Cordia is a genus belonging to the borage family, Boraginaceae. This intriguing genus comprises approximately 228 species of shrubs and trees distributed across the globe, predominantly in warmer, tropical, and subtropical regions. These plants are known for their rough, hairy leaves, a characteristic trait of the borage family, and their beautiful, clustered flowers that range in color from vibrant red-orange and yellow to pristine white.  

A Closer Look at Cordia Species

The Cordia genus boasts a rich variety of species, each with its unique features and uses:  

1. Cordia aberrans I.M.Johnst.
2. Cordia acutifolia Fresen.
3. Cordia affinis Fresen.
4. Cordia afra Sond.
5. Cordia africana Lam.
6. Cordia allartii Killip
7. Cordia alliodora (Ruiz & Pav.) Oken
8. Cordia americana (L.) Gottschling & J.S.Mill.
9. Cordia anabaptista Cham.
10. Cordia anisophylla J.S.Mill.
11. Cordia aristeguietae G.Agostini
12. Cordia aspera G.Forst.
13. Cordia aurantiaca Baker
14. Cordia balanocarpa Brenan
15. Cordia bantamensis Blume
16. Cordia bicolor A.DC.
17. Cordia blanchetii A.DC.
18. Cordia bogotensis Benth.
19. Cordia boissieri A.DC.
20. Cordia bordasii Schinini
21. Cordia borinquensis Urb.
22. Cordia brachytricha Fresen.
23. Cordia brasiliensis (I.M.Johnst.) Gottschling & J.S.Mill.
24. Cordia brunnea Kurz
25. Cordia cabanayensis Gaviria
26. Cordia cardenasiana J.S.Mill.
27. Cordia carnevalii J.S.Mill.
28. Cordia caucana J.S.Mill.
29. Cordia caudata J.S.Mill.
30. Cordia chaetodonta Melch.
31. Cordia chamissoniana G.Don
32. Cordia cicatricosa L.O.Williams
33. Cordia clarkei Brace ex Prain
34. Cordia cochinchinensis Gagnep.
35. Cordia colimensis I.M.Johnst.
36. Cordia collococca L.
37. Cordia colombiana Killip
38. Cordia copulata Poir.
39. Cordia cordiformis I.M.Johnst.
40. Cordia correae J.S.Mill.
41. Cordia crassifolia Killip
42. Cordia crenata Delile
43. Cordia crispiflora A.DC.
44. Cordia croatii J.S.Mill.
45. Cordia curbeloi Alain
46. Cordia cymosa (Donn.Sm.) Standl.
47. Cordia decandra Hook. & Arn.
48. Cordia decipiens I.M.Johnst.
49. Cordia dentata Poir.
50. Cordia dewevrei De Wild. & T.Durand
51. Cordia dichotoma G.Forst.
52. Cordia diffusa K.C.Jacob
53. Cordia dillenii Spreng.
54. Cordia diversifolia Pav. ex A.DC.
55. Cordia dodecandra A.DC.
56. Cordia dodecandria Sessé & Moc.
57. Cordia domingensis Lam.
58. Cordia dumosa Alain
59. Cordia dwyeri Nowicke
60. Cordia ecalyculata Vell.
61. Cordia elaeagnoides A.DC.
62. Cordia ellenbeckii Gürke ex Vaupel
63. Cordia elliptica Sw.
64. Cordia ensifolia Urb.
65. Cordia eriostigma Pittier
66. Cordia exaltata Lam.
67. Cordia fallax I.M.Johnst.
68. Cordia fanchoniae Feuillet
69. Cordia faulknerae Verdc.
70. Cordia fischeri Gürke
71. Cordia fissistyla Vollesen
72. Cordia fitchii Urb.
73. Cordia fragrantissima Kurz
74. Cordia fulva I.M.Johnst.
75. Cordia furcans I.M.Johnst.
76. Cordia fusca M.Stapf
77. Cordia galeottiana A.Rich.
78. Cordia gardneri I.M.Johnst.
79. Cordia gentryi J.S.Mill.
80. Cordia gerascanthus L.
81. Cordia gilletii De Wild.
82. Cordia glabrata (Mart.) A.DC.
83. Cordia glabrifolia M.Stapf
84. Cordia glazioviana (Taub.) Gottschling & J.S.Mill.
85. Cordia globifera W.W.Sm.
86. Cordia globulifera I.M.Johnst.
87. Cordia goeldiana Huber
88. Cordia goetzei Gürke
89. Cordia gracilipes I.M.Johnst.
90. Cordia grandicalyx Oberm.
91. Cordia grandis Roxb.
92. Cordia guacharaca Gaviria
93. Cordia guerkeana Loes.
94. Cordia guineensis Thonn.
95. Cordia harrisii Urb.
96. Cordia hatschbachii J.S.Mill.
97. Cordia ignea Urb. & Ekman
98. Cordia iguaguana Melch. ex I.M.Johnst.
99. Cordia igualensis Bartlett
100. Cordia incognita Gottschling & J.S.Mill.
101. Cordia insignis Cham.
102. Cordia intermedia Fresen.
103. Cordia killipiana J.S.Mill.
104. Cordia kingstoniana J.S.Mill.
105. Cordia koemariae J.S.Mill.
106. Cordia laevifrons I.M.Johnst.
107. Cordia laevigata Lam.
108. Cordia laevior I.M.Johnst.
109. Cordia lasiocalyx Pittier
110. Cordia lasseri G.Agostini ex Gaviria
111. Cordia latiloba I.M.Johnst.
112. Cordia leonis (Britton & P.Wilson) Ekman
113. Cordia leslieae J.S.Mill.
114. Cordia letestui E.L.A.N.Simons
115. Cordia leucosebestena Griseb.
116. Cordia liesneri J.S.Mill.
117. Cordia lomatoloba I.M.Johnst.
118. Cordia longipetiolata Warfa
119. Cordia lucidula I.M.Johnst.
120. Cordia lutea Lam.
121. Cordia macleodii (Griff.) Hook.f. & Thomson
122. Cordia macrophylla L.
123. Cordia macvaughii J.S.Mill.
124. Cordia magnoliifolia Cham.
125. Cordia mairei Humbert
126. Cordia mandimbana E.S.Martins
127. Cordia marioniae Feuillet
128. Cordia megalantha S.F.Blake
129. Cordia megiae J.E.Burrows
130. Cordia membranacea A.DC.
131. Cordia meridensis Gaviria
132. Cordia mexiana I.M.Johnst.
133. Cordia mhaya Kerr
134. Cordia micayensis Killip
135. Cordia micronesica Kaneh. & Hatus.
136. Cordia millenii Baker
137. Cordia molundensis Mildbr.
138. Cordia monoica Roxb.
139. Cordia morelosana Standl.
140. Cordia mukuensis Taton
141. Cordia myxa L.
142. Cordia naidophila I.M.Johnst.
143. Cordia nervosa Lam.
144. Cordia nodosa Lam.
145. Cordia oblongifolia Thwaites
146. Cordia obovata Balf.f.
147. Cordia obtusa Balf.f.
148. Cordia obtusiloba Pedro-Silva, T.S.Silva & J.I.M.Melo
149. Cordia ochnacea A.DC.
150. Cordia oliveri (Britton ex Rusby) Gottschling & J.S.Mill.
151. Cordia oncocalyx Allemão
152. Cordia panamensis L.Riley
153. Cordia panicularis Rudge
154. Cordia parvifolia A.DC.
155. Cordia perbella Mildbr.
156. Cordia perrottetii A.DC.
157. Cordia peteri Verdc.
158. Cordia pilosa M.Stapf & Taroda
159. Cordia pilosissima Baker
160. Cordia platythyrsa Baker
161. Cordia porcata Nowicke
162. Cordia protracta I.M.Johnst.
163. Cordia prunifolia I.M.Johnst.
164. Cordia pulverulenta (Urb.) Alain
165. Cordia quercifolia Klotzsch
166. Cordia ramanujamii N.Balach. & Rajendiran
167. Cordia restingae M.Stapf
168. Cordia rickseckeri Millsp.
169. Cordia ripicola I.M.Johnst.
170. Cordia rufescens A.DC.
171. Cordia saccellia Gottschling & J.S.Mill.
172. Cordia sagotii I.M.Johnst.
173. Cordia salvadorensis Standl.
174. Cordia santacruzensis J.S.Mill. & M.Nee
175. Cordia scabra Desf.
176. Cordia scabrifolia A.DC.
177. Cordia schatziana J.S.Mill.
178. Cordia schottiana Fresen.
179. Cordia sebestena L.
180. Cordia seleriana Fernald
181. Cordia sellowiana Cham.
182. Cordia senegalensis Juss. ex Poir.
183. Cordia sericicalyx A.DC.
184. Cordia silvestris Fresen.
185. Cordia sinensis Lam.
186. Cordia sipapoi Gaviria
187. Cordia skutchii I.M.Johnst.
188. Cordia somaliensis Baker
189. Cordia sonorae Rose
190. Cordia splendida Diels
191. Cordia sprucei Mez
192. Cordia stellifera I.M.Johnst.
193. Cordia stenoclada I.M.Johnst.
194. Cordia stenoloba Gürke
195. Cordia stuhlmannii Gürke
196. Cordia subcordata Lam.
197. Cordia suckertii Chiov.
198. Cordia sulcata A.DC.
199. Cordia superba Cham.
200. Cordia tacarcunensis J.S.Mill.
201. Cordia taguahyensis Vell.
202. Cordia tarodae M.Stapf
203. Cordia tetrandra Aubl.
204. Cordia thaisiana G.Agostini
205. Cordia tinifolia Roem. & Schult.
206. Cordia toqueve Aubl.
207. Cordia torrei E.S.Martins
208. Cordia tortuensis Urb. & Ekman
209. Cordia trachyphylla Mart.
210. Cordia triangularis Urb.
211. Cordia trichoclada A.DC.
212. Cordia trichocladophylla Verdc.
213. Cordia trichotoma (Vell.) Arráb. ex Steud.
214. Cordia troyana Urb.
215. Cordia truncatifolia Bartlett
216. Cordia ucayaliensis (I.M.Johnst.) I.M.Johnst.
217. Cordia ulei I.M.Johnst.
218. Cordia umbellifera Killip ex G.Agostini
219. Cordia uncinulata De Wild.
220. Cordia valenzuelana A.Rich.
221. Cordia vanhermannii Alain
222. Cordia vargasii I.M.Johnst.
223. Cordia varroniifolia I.M.Johnst.
224. Cordia vestita (A.DC.) Hook.f. & Thomson
225. Cordia vignei Hutch. & Dalziel
226. Cordia weddellii I.M.Johnst.
227. Cordia williamsii G.Agostini ex Gaviria
228. Cordia yombomba Vaupel

The Many Faces of Cordia

One of the aspects that I find most fascinating about Cordia is its versatility. These plants have been utilized by humans for centuries for a variety of purposes, showcasing their remarkable adaptability.  

• Ornamental Plants: Many Cordia species, with their vibrant flowers and attractive foliage, are cultivated as ornamental plants in gardens and landscapes.  
• Timber: Some species, such as Cordia alliodora, are prized for their durable timber, which is used in construction, furniture making, and other woodworking applications.  
• Edible Fruits: Several Cordia species bear edible fruits, which are consumed fresh or used to make jams, jellies, and preserves.  
• Medicinal Uses: Traditional medicine systems utilize various parts of Cordia plants for their therapeutic properties. For example, the bark of Cordia myxa is used to treat coughs, colds, and diarrhea.  
• Environmental Benefits: Cordia trees play a crucial role in their ecosystems, providing habitat and food for various wildlife species. They also contribute to soil conservation and carbon sequestration.  

The Beauty of Cordia

Beyond its practical applications, Cordia holds a special appeal for me due to its aesthetic beauty. The vibrant colors of its flowers, the texture of its leaves, and the overall form of the plants create a visual harmony that I find captivating. Whether it’s the fiery red-orange blossoms of Cordia sebestena or the delicate white flowers of Cordia boissieri, each species has its unique charm.

Conservation of Cordia

While Cordia is a widespread genus, some species face threats due to habitat loss, overexploitation, and climate change. It’s crucial to recognize the importance of conserving these valuable plants and their ecosystems. Efforts such as sustainable harvesting practices, habitat restoration, and ex-situ conservation can help ensure the survival of Cordia for future generations.

My Continued Fascination with Cordia

As I continue to explore the world of botany, I’m certain that Cordia will remain a genus of great interest to me. Its diversity, adaptability, and beauty are a testament to the wonders of the plant kingdom. I encourage fellow plant enthusiasts to delve deeper into this fascinating genus and appreciate the remarkable contributions it makes to our planet.

I hope this article has provided you with valuable insights into the genus Cordia. Whether you’re a seasoned botanist or simply curious about the natural world, I trust that you’ll find something to appreciate in these remarkable plants.