Theanthophytes are a grouping of plant taxa bearing flower-like reproductive structures. They were formerly thought to be aclade comprising plants bearing flower-like structures. The group contained theangiosperms - the extant flowering plants, such asroses andgrasses - as well as theGnetales and the extinctBennettitales.[1]
Detailed morphological and molecular studies have shown that the group is not actuallymonophyletic,[2] with proposed floral homologies of thegnetophytes and theangiosperms having evolved in parallel.[3] This makes it easier to reconcile molecular clock data that suggests that the angiosperms diverged from thegymnosperms around300 million years ago.[4]
Some more recent studies have used the word anthophyte to describe a group which includes the angiosperms and a variety of fossils (glossopterids,Pentoxylon,Bennettitales, andCaytonia), but not the Gnetales.[5]
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.[6] Ninebiomes have been described in South Africa:Fynbos, SucculentKaroo,desert,Nama Karoo,grassland,savanna,Albany thickets, theIndian Ocean coastal belt, andforests.[7]
The 2018South African National Biodiversity Institute'sNational Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phylaAnthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)),Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)),Bryophyta (mosses (685)),Cycadophyta (cycads (42)),Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)),Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)),Pinophyta (conifers (33)), andPteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).[8]
The flowering plant diversity checklists include historical taxa recorded from the region, and the recognised taxa with which they are considered synonymous. Endemic, indigenous, and invasive taxa are labelled.
List of Acorales of South Africa – Order:Acorales,
One family is represented:
List of Alismatales of South Africa – Order:Alismatales.
11 families are represented:[8]
List of Apiales of South Africa – Order:Apiales,
Two families are represented:[8]
List of Aquifoliales of South Africa – Order:Aquifoliales,
One family is represented:
List of Arecales of South Africa – Order:Arecales:
One family is represented:
List of Asparagales of South Africa – Order:Asparagales,
14 families are represented:[8]
List of Asterales of South Africa – Order:Asterales,
Five families are represented:
List of Boraginales of South Africa – Order:Boraginales,
One family is represented:[8]
List of Brassicales of South Africa – Order:Brassicales,
Six families are represented:
List of Bruniales of South Africa – Order:Bruniales,
One family is represented:
List of Buxales of South Africa – Order:Buxales,
One family is represented:
List of Canellales of South Africa – Order:Canellales,
One family is represented:
List of Caryophyllales of South Africa – Order:Caryophyllales,
21 families are represented:
List of Celastrales of South Africa – Order:Celastrales,
One family is represented:
List of Ceratophyllales of South Africa – Order:Ceratophyllales,
One family is represented:
Family:Ceratophyllaceae,[8]
List of Commelinales of South Africa – Order:Commelinales,
Three families are represented:
List of Cornales of South Africa – Order:Cornales,
Four families are represented:
List of Crossosomatales of South Africa – Order:Crossosomatales,
Two families are represented:
List of Cucurbitales of South Africa – Order:Cucurbitales,
Two families are represented:
List of Dioscoreales of South Africa – Order:Dioscoreales,
Three families are represented:
List of Dipsacales of South Africa – Order:Dipsacales,
Three families are represented:
List of Ericales of South Africa – Order:Ericales,
11 families are represented:
List of Escalloniales of South Africa – Order:Escalloniales,
One family is represented:
Family:Escalloniaceae,[8]
List of Fabales of South Africa – Order:Fabales,
Two families are represented:
List of Fagales of South Africa – Order:Fagales,
Five families are represented:
List of Gentianales of South Africa – Order:Gentianales,
Five families are represented:
List of Geraniales of South Africa – Order:Geraniales,
Two families are represented:
List of Gunnerales of South Africa – Order:Gunnerales,
Two families are represented:
List of Huerteales of South Africa – Order:Huerteales,
One family is represented:
List of Icacinales of South Africa – Order:Icacinales,
One family is represented:
List of Lamiales of South Africa – Order:Lamiales,
15 families are represented:
List of Laurales of South Africa – Order:Laurales,
Two families are represented:
List of Liliales of South Africa – Order:Liliales,
Five families are represented:
List of Magnoliales of South Africa – Order:Magnoliales,
One family is represented:
List of Malpighiales of South Africa – Order:Malpighiales,
20 families are represented:
List of Malvales of South Africa – Order:Malvales,
Six families are represented:
List of Myrtales of South Africa – Order:Myrtales,
10 families are represented:
List of Nymphaeales of South Africa – Order:Nymphaeales,
Two families are represented:
Family:Cabombaceae,[8]
Family:Nymphaeaceae,[8]
List of Oxalidales of South Africa – Order:Oxalidales,
Four families are represented:
List of Pandanales of South Africa – Order:Pandanales,
One family is represented:
List of Piperales of South Africa – Order:Piperales,
Four families are represented:
Family:Aristolochiaceae,[8]
Family:Hydnoraceae,[8]
Family:Piperaceae,[8]
Family:Saururaceae,[8]
List of Poales of South Africa – Order:Poales,
10 families are represented:
List of Proteales of South Africa – Order:Proteales,
Two families are represented:
List of Ranunculales of South Africa – Order:Ranunculales,
Five families are represented:
List of Rosales of South Africa – Order:Rosales,
Six families are represented:
List of Santalales of South Africa – Order:Santalales,
Three families are represented:
List of Sapindales of South Africa – Order:Sapindales,
Eight families are represented:
List of Saxifragales of South Africa – Order:Saxifragales,
Four families are represented:
List of Solanales of South Africa – Order:Solanales,
Four families are represented:
List of Vahliales of South Africa – Order:Vahliales,
One family is represented:
Family:Vahliaceae,[8]
List of Vitales of South Africa – Order:Vitales,
One family is represented:
List of Zingiberales of South Africa – Order:Zingiberales,
Five families are represented:
Family:Marantaceae,[8]
Family:Strelitziaceae,[8]
Family:Zingiberaceae,[8]
List of Zygophyllales of South Africa – Order:Zygophyllales,
One family is represented:
Nomenclature crosswalk between names used in Mucina et al. (2007) report and the current book. This crosswalk captures nomenclature changes during the period 2007–2017 in South African taxonomic literature. Current name = name in Mucina et al. (2007) Itea rhamnoides = Choristylis rhamnoides
