The Commelinales are an order of flowering plants. It comprises five families: Commelinaceae, Haemodoraceae, Hanguanaceae, Philydraceae, and Pontederiaceae. All the families combined contain over 885 species in about 70 genera; the majority of species are in the Commelinaceae. Plants in the order share a number of synapomorphies that tie them together, such as a lack of mycorrhizal associations and tapetal raphides. Estimates differ as to when the Comminales evolved, but most suggest an origin and diversification sometime during the mid- to late Cretaceous. The order's closest relatives are in the Zingiberales.[1] The anthophytes are a grouping of plant taxa bearing flower-like reproductive structures. They were formerly thought to be a clade comprising plants bearing flower-like structures. The group contained the angiosperms - the extant flowering plants, such as roses and grasses - as well as the Gnetales and the extinct Bennettitales.[2]
23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened.[3] Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.[4]
The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).[5]
Three families are represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.
Commelinaceae edit
Family: Commelinaceae,[5]
Aneilema edit
- Aneilema aequinoctiale (P.Beauv.) Loudon, indigenous
- Aneilema arenicola Faden, indigenous
- Aneilema brunneospermum Faden, indigenous
- Aneilema dregeanum Kunth, indigenous
- Aneilema dregeanum Kunth subsp. dregeanum, indigenous
- Aneilema hockii De Wild. indigenous
- Aneilema hockii De Wild. subsp. hockii, indigenous
- Aneilema hockii De Wild. subsp. longiaxis Faden, indigenous
- Aneilema indehiscens Faden, indigenous
- Aneilema indehiscens Faden subsp. lilacinum Faden, indigenous
- Aneilema longirrhizum Faden, endemic
- Aneilema nicholsonii C.B.Clarke, indigenous
- Aneilema zebrinum Chiov. indigenous
Callisia edit
- Callisia fragrans (Lindl.) Woodson, not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised
- Callisia repens (Jacq.) L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
Coleotrype edit
Genus Coleotrype:[5]
- Coleotrype natalensis C.B.Clarke, indigenous
- Commelina africana L. indigenous
- Commelina africana L. var. africana, indigenous
- Commelina africana L. var. barberae (C.B.Clarke) C.B.Clarke, indigenous
- Commelina africana L. var. krebsiana (Kunth) C.B.Clarke, indigenous
- Commelina africana L. var. lancispatha C.B.Clarke, indigenous
- Commelina bella Oberm. endemic
- Commelina benghalensis L. indigenous
- Commelina diffusa Burm.f. indigenous
- Commelina diffusa Burm.f. subsp. diffusa, indigenous
- Commelina diffusa Burm.f. subsp. scandens (Welw. ex C.B.Clarke) Oberm. indigenous
- Commelina eckloniana Kunth, indigenous
- Commelina erecta L. indigenous
- Commelina forskaolii Vahl, indigenous
- Commelina imberbis Ehrenb. ex Hassk. indigenous
- Commelina krebsiana Kunth, accepted as Commelina africana L. var. krebsiana (Kunth) C.B.Clarke, indigenous
- Commelina livingstonii C.B.Clarke, indigenous
- Commelina modesta Oberm. indigenous
- Commelina petersii Hassk. indigenous
- Commelina rogersii Burtt Davy, endemic
- Commelina subulata Roth, indigenous
- Commelina zambesica C.B.Clarke, indigenous
Cyanotis edit
- Cyanotis lanata Benth. indigenous
- Cyanotis lapidosa E.Phillips, indigenous
- Cyanotis pachyrrhiza Oberm. endemic
- Cyanotis robusta Oberm. endemic
- Cyanotis speciosa (L.f.) Hassk. indigenous
Floscopa edit
- Floscopa glomerata (Willd. ex Schult. & J.H.Schult.) Hassk. indigenous
Murdannia edit
- Murdannia simplex (Vahl) Brenan, indigenous
Tradescantia edit
Genus Tradescantia:[5]
- Tradescantia fluminensis Vell. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive
- Tradescantia pallida (Rose) D.R.Hunt, not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised
- Tradescantia zebrina Bosse, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
Zebrina edit
- Zebrina pendula Schnizl. accepted as Tradescantia zebrina Bosse, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
Haemodoraceae edit
Family: Haemodoraceae,[5]
Anigozanthos edit
Genus Anigozanthos:[5]
- Anigozanthos flavidus DC. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive
Barberetta edit
Genus Barberetta:[5]
- Barberetta aurea Harv. endemic
Dilatris edit
- Dilatris corymbosa P.J.Bergius, endemic
- Dilatris ixioides Lam. endemic
- Dilatris paniculata L.f. accepted as Dilatris viscosa L.f. present
- Dilatris pillansii W.F.Barker, endemic
- Dilatris viscosa L.f. endemic
Wachendorfia edit
Genus Wachendorfia:[5]
- Wachendorfia brachyandra W.F.Barker, endemic
- Wachendorfia graminifolia L.f. accepted as Wachendorfia paniculata Burm. present
- Wachendorfia multiflora (Klatt) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, endemic
- Wachendorfia paniculata Burm. endemic
- Wachendorfia parviflora W.F.Barker, accepted as Wachendorfia multiflora (Klatt) J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, present
- Wachendorfia thyrsiflora Burm. endemic
Pontederiaceae edit
Family: Pontederiaceae,[5]
Eichhornia edit
Genus Eichhornia:[5]
- Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
Heteranthera edit
Genus Heteranthera:[5]
- Heteranthera callifolia Rchb. ex Kunth, indigenous
Monochoria edit
Genus Monochoria:[5]
- Monochoria africana (Solms) N.E.Br. indigenous
Pontederia edit
Genus Pontederia:[5]
- Pontederia cordata L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Pontederia cordata L. var. ovalis Solms, not indigenous, naturalised
References edit
- ^ Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 9, November 2011.
- ^ Doyle, J. A.; Donoghue, M. J. (1986). "Seed plant phylogeny and the origin of the angiosperms - an experimental cladistic approach". Botanical Review. 52 (4): 321–431. doi:10.1007/bf02861082.
- ^ Butler, Rhett A. (1 July 2019). "Total number of plant species by country". Mongabay. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
- ^ "Vegetation of South Africa". PlantZAfrica.com. SA National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 24 July 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "species_checklist_20180710.csv". South African National Biodiversity Institute. Retrieved 27 September 2020.