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PBIO 250 Lecture Notes

James L. Reveal

Norton-Brown Herbarium, University of Maryland


Selected Families of Angiosperms: Caryophyllidae



CARYOPHYLLIDAE Takht., 1967: 3 orders, 14 families and 11,000 species, nine-tenths in Caryophyllales. Plants with bitegmic, crassinucellar ovules with either betalains instead of anthocyanins, or free-central or basal placentation in a compound ovary. Most are herbaceous and those that are woody have anomalous secondary growth. Endosperms is common. Current work by Bremer et al. suggests that several additional families ought to be added to this taxon. Their additions include such families as Droseraceae (sundews), Nepenthaceae (tropical pitcher plants), Simmondsiaceae (jojoba) and Tamaricaceae (tamarix). The core recognized by Cronquist, Takhtajan, Thorne and others, however, is well-founded on solid morphological evidence whereas the added examples mentioned above severely strain any attempt to circumscribe and differentiate the taxon from other taxa. Summary from the University of Wisconsin.

Caryophyllales Perleb, 1826

Phytolaccaceae R. Br., 1818: Herbs (ours) or shrubs and trees with alternate leaves, numerous stamens borne on a fleshy disk, and a multicarpellate gynoecium producing fleshy fruits. CA4-5 CO0 A3-many GS1-(many). 18 genera, 125 species. Cosmopolitan. If circumscribed in a narrow sense, the family has only 3 genera and some 35 species, these variously used as potherbs, sources of dye, made into wine, rarely cultivated and occasionally weedy. In my opinion it is more appropriate to divide Phytolaccaceae into several additional family: Agdestidaceae, Barbeuiaceae, Gisekiaceae, Petiveriaceae and Stenospermataceae, all found outside our area. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopsis from the University of Hawaii.

Nyctaginaceae Juss., 1789: Herbs (ours) or shrubs and trees with opposite leaves, mostly few stamens and a unicarpellate gynoecium producing an achene. (CA(5) CO0 A5 GS1. 39 genera, 390 species. Mostly tropical and subtropical regions, especially in the Americas. A few edible and medicinal; Mirabilis and Bougainvillea are cultivated. The family is typically subdivided into six tribes: Boldoeae, Leucastereae Benth. & Hook.f., Nyctagineae Horan., Abronieae S. Watson, Bougainvilleeae Choisy and Pisonieae Meisn. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Cactaceae Juss., 1789: Succulent herbs typically with spines arranged in areoles, large solitary flowers, numerous parts and an inferior ovary. CAv CO-many A-many GI(2-many). 100 genera, 1650 species. Warm regions of the New World (Rhipsalis in southern Africa) in desert and tropical regions. Many cultivated, some (especially Opuntia) often weedy. Fruits used as food, a few (peyote) medicinal. Three subfamilies are recognized: Pereskioideae Engelm., Opuntioideae Burnett and Cactoideae Eaton. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State. See also Cardillo & Samuels and learn more about the family.

Chenopodiaceae Vent., 1799: Herbs or shrubs, often succulent and halophytic, with small greenish flowers not subtended by scarious bracts. CA(2-5) CO0 A2-5 GIS(2-3). 110 genera, 1300 species. Cosmopolitan, mainly in warm regions. Many halophytes, often weedy, and few edible (spinach, beets). Nanophyton is used to treat hypertension. The family is divided into four subfamilies: Chenopodioideae Burnett, Salicornioideae Kostel., Salsoloideae Kostel. and Polycnemoideae Raf. The South American genus Halophytum, placed in Chenopdiaceae by Cronquist, is better placed in the Halophytaceae A. Soriano. Many authors also accept Dysphaniaceae (Pax) Pax. The western American shrub known as "grease wood" (Sarcobatus) has recently been shown to be the sole member of a new family, Sarcobataceae Behnke. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Amaranthaceae Juss., 1789: Herbs, rarely woody, with dense or congested inflorescences bearing minute flowers subtended by dry, scarious, papery bracts, and basally united stamens. CA3-5 CO0 A(5 GS(2-3). 70 genera, 900 species. Cosmopolitan but most of tropical and warm regions, some in temperate areas. Amaryanthus is cultivated for its seed. Several cultivated as ornamentals. Two subfamilies are accepted: Amaranthoideae Burnett and Gomphrenoideae Kostel. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Portulacaceae Dumort., 1829: Herbs with fleshy leaves, 2 sepals and a unilocular ovary bearing 2-5 styles. CA2 CO4-6 A8-10 GIS (2-3). 32 genera, 380 species. Widespread mainly in temperate regions mainly of western America. Claytonia, Portulaca and Lewisia are cultivated as ornamentals. Hectorella and Lyallia are sometimes separated as Hectorellaceae Philipson & Skipw. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Caryophyllaceae Juss., 1789: Herbs with swollen nodes and opposite leaves, the pistil free-central and the fruit a many-seeded capsule. CA5 CO5 A5-10 GS(2-5). 90 genera, 2300 species. Cosmopolitan, especially in warm and temperate northern hemisphere. Many weed species, some cultivated ornamentals (Dianthus).Three subfamilies (Illecebroideae (R. Br.) Arn. [including Paronychioideae A. St.-Hil. ex Endl.], Minuartioideae (DC.) Beilschm. [including Alsinoideae Burnett] and Caryophylloideae Arn.) are generally recognized, the former occasionally distinguished as Illecebraceae R. Br. (24 genera), and some also distinguish Alsinaceae (Lam. & DC.) Bartl. (62 genera) leaving only 4 genera in a narrowly defined Caryophyllaceae. Takhtajan also accepts the Scleranthoideae Arn., a taxon more commonly retained in what is here termed the Minuartioideae. Anthocyanin is found in this family, not betalains as is found in nearly all other families of the order. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State. See also Cardillo & Samuels.

Polygonales Dumort., 1829

Polygonaceae Juss., 1789: Herbs or sometimes shrubs or trees with swollen nodes, nodal ocrea or if not then with flowers in involucreate heads, petaloid calyx segments and achenes. CA3+3 CO0 A3+3 or 9 GS(3) or CA5 CO0 A5-8 GS(3). 49 genera, 1050 species. Cosmopolitan but especially northern temperate. The Polygonales lack betalains and perisperm, have S-type sieve-tube plastids and 3-merous flowers; all of these features distinguish it from the Caryophyllales. Some workers (e.g., Thorne) improperly refer the family to what Cronquist would define as the Dilleniidae. Two subfamilies: Eriogonoideae Arn. (17 genera) and Polygonoideae Eaton. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Last revised: 23 Jan 1999
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Selected Families of Angiosperms: Dilleniidae
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