Flowering plants in the order Cucurbitales recorded from South Africa
Sutherland's begonia (Begonia sutherlandii)
TheCucurbitales are anorder offlowering plants, included in therosid group ofdicotyledons with a cosmopolitan distribution, particularly diverse in the tropics. The order includes shrubs and trees, together with many herbs and climbers. One major characteristic of the Cucurbitales is the presence of unisexual flowers, mostlypentacyclic, with thick pointed petals (whenever present).[1] The pollination is usually performed by insects, butwind pollination is also present (inCoriariaceae andDatiscaceae).
The order consists of roughly 2600 species in eight families. The largest families areBegoniaceae (begonia family) with around 1500 species andCucurbitaceae (gourd family) with around 900 species. These two families include the only economically important plants. Specifically, the Cucurbitaceae (gourd family) include some food species, such assquash,pumpkin (both fromCucurbita),watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris), andcucumber andmelons (Cucumis). The Begoniaceae are known for their horticultural species, of which there are over 130 with many morevarieties.
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.[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] Ninebiomes have been described in South Africa:Fynbos, SucculentKaroo,desert,Nama Karoo,grassland,savanna,Albany thickets, theIndian Ocean coastal belt, andforests.[4]
Twofamilies are represented in the literature. Listedtaxa includespecies,subspecies,varieties, andforms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa assynonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflecttaxonomic revision over time.
^Matthews ML, Endress PK (2004). "Comparative floral structure and systematics in Cucurbitales (Corynocarpaceae, Coriariaceae, Tetramelaceae, Datiscaceae, Begoniaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Anisophylleaceae)".Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society.145 (2):129–185.doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2003.00281.x.
^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.S2CID44844947.
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