Background and aims Several species of shrubs from the Guayana Highlands of Venezuela have been classified in Psychotria subg. Heteropsychotria Steyerm., but are anomalous morphologically in that group. Key results and conclusions These species are here transferred to Coccochondra Rauschert, which now includes four poorly known species that are all endemic to this region. Coccochondra is provisonally considered related to Psychotria L. but is also similar to Ronabea Aubl. The three newly transferred species belong to the new subg. Durifolia (Steyerm.) C.M.Taylor, distinguished from subg. Coccochondra by its five-merous flowers: C. carrenoi (Steyerm.) C.M.Taylor, C. durifolia (Standi.) C.M.Taylor, and C. phelpsiana (Steyerm.) C.M.Taylor.