PBIO 250 Lecture Notes

James L. Reveal

Norton-Brown Herbarium, University of Maryland

Selected Families of Angiosperms: Rosidae

Sapindales Dumort., 1829

Hippocastanaceae DC., 1824: Trees and shrubs with opposite, palmately compound leaves, zygomorphic flowers and a leathery capsule. CA(5 COz4-5 A5-8 GS(3). 2 genera, 16 species. Southern Europe, tropical and eastern Asia and America. The horse chestnut or buckeye (Aesculus) is commonly cultivated. There is growing evidence that this family should be submerged in the more tropical family Sapindaceae Juss. (fide Bremer et al.). Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Aceraceae Juss., 1789: Trees and shrubs with opposite, usually simple leaves with palmate venation, actinomorphic flowers and a winged schizocarp. CA4-5 CO4-5 A4 or 8 or 10 GS(2). 2 genera, 110 species. Cosmopolitan. The cultivated maple. Thorne (1992) has reduced this family and Hippocastanaceae to synonymy under Sapindaceae, basically a tropical family, a view supported by recent cladistical studies (fide Bremer et al.). Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Anacardiaceae Lindl., 1830: Trees or shrubs with alternate, simple or compound leaves with pinnate venation, 5-merous actinomorphic flowers and a unilocular ovary. CA5 CO5 A10 GS(3). 68 genera, 600 species. Mainly of tropical and subtropical regions, with some in temperate regions. The resin and oil will often cause a rash (Toxicodendron, poison-ivy, poison-oak, poison-wood). Some cultivated as ornamental and fruit trees (Rhus, Anacardium, Pistacia, Mangifera). The Sapindales is often divided in two with the Rutales Perleb the home of Anacardiaceae. The family is divided into four subfamilies: Anacardioideae Link, Spondiadoideae Link, Julianioideae and Pistacioideae Burnett. Some authors recognize Blepharocaryaceae Julianiaceae Hemsl., and Pistaciaceae as distinct families, with Podoaceae widely adopted. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Geraniales Dumort., 1829

Oxalidaceae R. Br., 1818: Herbs or shrubs with generally palmately compound leaves, 5-merous flowers and 10 basal united stamens with 5 styles. CA5 CO5 A(10 GS(5). 6 genera, 700 species. Cosmopolitan, mainly of tropical (infrequently temperate) regions. Oxalis is both cultivated and weedy. Often divided into smaller families: Averrhoaceae Hutch., Hypseocharidaceae Wedd. and Lepidobotryaceae J. Léonard. Only the last two are frequntly adopted although some (e.g., Thorne) refer the Hypseocharidaceae to the Geraniaceae rather than the Oxalidaceae. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Geraniaceae Juss., 1789: Herbs or subshrubs with 5-merous flowers bearing stamens with basally united filaments and an explosively dehiscent schizocarp. CA5 CO5 A(5-15 GS(5). 14 genera, 775 species. Cosmopolitan. Many cultivated (Pelargonium, Geranium) for ornamentals, forage, essential oil and dyes. Erodium is often weedy. Four other families are sometimes recognized: Biebersteiniaceae Endl., Dirachmaceae Hutch., Ledocarpaceae Meyen and Vivianiaceae Klotzsch. Bremer et al. accept all four but refer Dirachmaceae to their Rosales rather than their Geraniales; all are found beyond our range. The family Rhynchothecaceae Endl., accepted by Takhtajan (1997), is regarded by me as a synonym of Ledocarpaceae. Present data seems to indicate that the Geraniales are more closely related to the Fabales in a basal position to Sapindales. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Balsaminaceae A. Rich., 1822: Herbs with translucent stems, spurred 5-merous flowers, the stamens with a cap over the gynoecium, and an explosively dehiscent capsule. CA5 CO5 A5 GS(5). 5 genera, 600 species. Mainly of Old World tropics, nearly all belonging to the oft cultivated genus Impatiens. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Apiales Nakai, 1942 - The whole of the Apiales belong to the Cornidae rather than the Rosidae. The family arrangement is either the reduction of Araliaceae to synonymy in Apiaceae or the recognition of three families, Araliaceae, Hydrocotylaceae (Link) N. Hyl. and the Apiaceae. The question is where should the Saniculoideae be placed - in the Hydrocotylaceae or Apiaceae. At the present time I am following Takhtajan and Thorne and retain the subfamily in Apiaceae. Bremer et al. define their Apiales to include Aralidiaceae, Griseliniaceae, Melanophyllaceae, Pittosporaceae and Torricelliaceae (see Cornaceae, above). They refer Helwingiaceae and Phyllonomaceae to their Aquifoliales and leave Hydrangeaceae in their Cornales. These authors presently do not place the other families of the Cornidae into orders.

Araliaceae Juss., 1789: Herbs, shrubs, vines or trees with often large, compound, alternate leaves with small actinomorphic flowers arranged in simple umbels producing a berry for a fruit. CA(4 or (5 CO5 or (5 A5 GI(2-5). 47 genera, 1500 species. Mostly tropical regions. Several are cultivate shrubs and herbs. The genus Panax is a popular medicinal plant. Cultivated ornamentals include Aralia, Eleutherococcus, Fatsia, and Schefflera. The common ivy (Hedera) belongs to this family. Full description from Watson & Dallwitz; family synonymy from Reveal; list of genera from Kew; family synopses from the University of Hawaii and Utah State.

Apiaceae Lindl., 1836 - also known by the alternative name Umbelliferae Juss.: Herbs often with hollow stems, compound leaves with sheathing bases and 5-merous flowers born in generally compound umbels producing a bilocular schizocarp. CA(5 CO(5 A5 GI(2). 428 genera, 3000 species. Cosmopolitan. Many cultivate for foods, herbs, spices and flavoring; some are exceedingly poisonous (hemlock). As defined by me, a family of two subfamilies: Scandicoideae Burnett and Apioideae Seem. The latter is divided into the following tribes by Takhtajan: Echinophoreae Benth. & Hook.f., Scandiceae Spreng., Caucalideae Spreng., Coriandreae W.D.J. Koch, Smyrnieae Spreng., Hohenackerieae, Pyramidoptereae, Apieae, Angeliceae W.D.J. Koch, Peucedaneae Dumort., Tordylieae W.D.J. Koch and Thapsieae W.D.J. Koch, (including Laserpitieae Coss. & Germ.) 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: 25 Jan 1999