Pavetta is a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae. It comprises about 360 species of trees, evergreen shrubs and sub-shrubs. It is found in woodlands, grasslands and thickets in sub-tropical and tropical Africa and Asia. The plants are cultivated for their simple but variable leaves, usually opposite but also occur in triple whorls. The leaves are often membranous with dark bacterial nodules. Pavetta has small, white, tubular flowers, sometimes salviform or funnel-shaped with 4 spreading petal lobes. The flowers are carried on terminal corymbs or cymes.

This white-flowered shrub or a small tree is a joy to have in the garden; it also attracts wild life to the garden. Pavetta revoluta is an evergreen shrub up to 6 m high. The bark is smooth in texture and light-coloured. The leaves are simple and oppositely arranged. Pavetta revoluta occurs from Port Alfred up through the former Transkei region (Eastern Cape) to KwaZulu-Natal in forest and dune bush. It is confined to a narrow strip along the coast, not far from the sea. It grows in a dwarf form on the sea shore. This is a lovely tree with great horticultural potential. It is a good specimen for small gardens and as a specimen plant in a pot. It is reported that the Xhosa people use it for rheumatism and as emetic insecticide.