Vanguerieae is a tribe of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family and contains about 640 species in 26 genera. The species in this group are found in the tropics and subtropics of Africa and Asia. 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 2,000 m (6,600 ft) 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