What is "vanguerieae"

Vanguerieae is a tribe of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family and contains about 600 species in 26 genera. The tribe is a common and important constituent of many different kinds of habitats. Species of Vanguerieae are found in both extremely wet habitats, such as the rain forests of tropical Africa, and in the very dry desert-like areas of the horn of Africa and of the southernmost part of Madagascar. The tribe is represented at altitudes of over in the mountains of Malawi and Tanzania, but also at sea-level along the coast of South Africa. This wide distribution is accompanied by a wide range of morphological adaptations. Several different life forms such as geofructices (plants with woody, underground stems), shrubs, trees, and climbers are represented. There is also a wide range of flower sizes and fruit morphologies, suggesting different adaptations to pollination and dispersal. Most of the species are probably pollinated by insects, but it is suspected that at least some of the large-flowered species of Fadogia are bird-pollinated. The edibility of many fruits suggests that they are dispersed by animals. Vangueria madagascariensis or Spanish tamarind is grown for its tasty fruits and is the only species that is used by man to any great extent.