Restionaceae
| Restionaceae Temporal range: Late Cretaceous-Recent, 65.5–0 Ma |
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| Restio tetraphyllus | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Restionaceae |
| Genera | |
and others. (see text) |
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Restionaceae, also called restiads, is the botanical name for a family of rush-like flowering plants native to the Southern Hemisphere. The Restionaceae likely originated during the Cretaceous period, based on evidence from fossil pollen.[1]
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[edit] Description
The family consists of tufted or rhizomatous herbaceous plants, superficially rush-like in overall appearance. They belong to a group of monocotyledons that include several superficially similar families such as the sedges, rushes and true grasses.
[edit] Distribution
Plants in the family are primarily distributed in southern Africa and Australia, and are often dominant elements of the flora in Mediterranean climates of South Africa and Western Australia. Their presence as the dominant group in the Western Cape led to this plant community being referred to as the Fynbos (Afrikaans, 'fine bush') community [2] A few species have spread into southeast Asia, and there is a single South American species.
A number of the African species have become popular as garden ornamentals in many parts of the world, some being similar to bamboo in their vigorous cane-like stems and their large size.
[edit] Classification
The Restionaceae family has been recognized by most taxonomists. The AP-Website [May 2006] assumes 58 genera and 520 species, which agrees well with the Flora of China.
The APG II system, of 2003 (unchanged from the APG system, 1998), recognizes this family and assigns it to the order Poales, in the clade commelinids of the monocots.
The Cronquist system, of 1981, also recognized this family and placed it in the order Restionales, in the subclass Commelinidae in class Liliopsida in division Magnoliophyta.
[edit] Genera
There are 58 genera in the Restionaceae:
- Alexgeorgea, Anthochortus, Askidiosperma, Calopsis, Calorophus, Cannomois, Ceratocaryum, Chaetanthus, Chondropetalum, Coleocarya, Dielsia, Dovea, Elegia, Empodisma, Harperia, Hopkinsia, Hydrophilus, Hypodiscus, Hypolaena, Ischyrolepis, Lepidobolus, Leptocarpus, Lepyrodia, Loxocarya, Mastersiella, Meeboldina, Megalotheca, Nevillea, Onychosepalum, Phyllocomos, Platycaulos, Pseudoloxocarya, Restio, Rhodocoma, Sporadanthus, Staberoha, Thamnochortus, Willdenowia, Winifredia.
[edit] References
- ^ Bremer, K. (2002). "Gondwanan Evolution of the Grass Alliance of Families (Poales)." Evolution, 56(7): 1374-1387. [1]
- ^ Linder, H. Peter; Pia Eldenas, Barbara G. Briggs (2003). "Contrasting patterns of radiation in African and Australian Restionaceae". Evolution 57 (12): 2688–2702. doi:10.1111/j.0014-3820.2003.tb01513.x. PMID 14761050. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.0014-3820.2003.tb01513.x.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Restionaceae |
- Restionaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval. Version: 27 April 2006. http://delta-intkey.com.
- Restionaceae in the Flora of China
- Florabase [218 entries, in Restionaceae sensu lato]
- NCBI Taxonomy Browser
