A general description of the structure of the wood of the Rubiaceae is given, based on examination of samples from most subfamilies. The results of the author’s investigation are compared with the data in the literature. The features of vessels, rays, and parenchyma agree well with those reported by other investigators. When the fibres are divided into libriform fibres and fibre tracheids in the sense of Janssonius, the correlation between the distribution of these organs and recent taxonomic subdivisions of the family is better than when all fibres with bordered pits are regarded as fibre tracheids.