List of alismatid families

The alismatid monocots are a group of 15 interrelated families of flowering plants, named for their largest order, Alismatales.[a] Like other monocots, they usually have a single embryonic leaf (cotyledon) in their seeds, scattered vascular systems, leaves with parallel veins, flowers with parts in threes or multiples of three, and roots that can develop in more than one place along the stems.[6] The alismatids have adapted to thrive in oceans, temperate zones, deserts, the tropics, and even glacial regions.[7]

"a large inflorescence"
Titan arum
"tiny plants"
Duckweed; each speck is an individual plant.

Like the earliest monocots, many of the alismatid monocots are aquatic, and some grow completely submerged. Apart from the sweet-flag family of wetlands plants, all the alismatid families are in Alismatales. Some of the plants in this order are invasive aquatic weeds that can disrupt and destabilize ecosystems. Others grow in a variety of habitats, especially plants in the aroid family. This family includes the titan arum, with the world's largest unbranched inflorescence, and also the world's smallest flowering plant, duckweed.[2][5][8][9]

Glossary

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From the glossary of botanical terms:

The APG IV system is the fourth in a series of plant taxonomies from the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group.[2] In this system, the alismatids are basal within the monocots.[8][11]

Alismatid families

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Alismatid families
Family and a common name[12][b] Type genus and etymology[c] Total genera; global distribution Description and uses Order[14] Type genus images
Acoraceae
(sweet-flag family)[15]
Acorus comes from a Latin plant name.[16][17] 1 genus, in North America, Europe and Asia[15][18] Herbaceous aromatic plants with thin, sword-shaped leaves. The rhizomes are essentially non-vascular.[15] Acorales
Alismataceae
(water-plantain family)[19]
Alisma comes from a Greek plant name.[20][21][22] 18 genera, worldwide[23] Herbaceous latex-bearing aquatic plants, usually perennials. They take root in freshwater beds, and some remain submerged.[19][24] Two species are consumed in Asia, and another was a food source for Native Americans.[19][24] C4 photosynthesis[d] has been observed in Sagittaria.[8] Alismatales
Aponogetona­ceae
(waterblommetjie family)[25]
Aponogeton is from the Latin for "near (the hot springs at) Aponus".[26] 1 genus, in Africa, Oceania, and South and Southeast Asia[25][27] Herbaceous smooth-stemmed freshwater perennials, usually with long leaf-stalks.[28] Cape pondweed flowers are consumed as a delicacy in South Africa; the tubers are also edible.[25] Alismatales
Araceae
(aroid family)[29]
Arum comes from a Greek plant name.[30][31][32] 142 genera, worldwide, especially in the tropics[33][34] Generally sappy, herbaceous plants growing in soil, in water and on trees, along with a few woody climbers. Many cultures have relied on taro plants (which are toxic when raw) as a staple crop.[33][35] Alismatales
Butomaceae
(flowering-rush family)[36]
Butomus is from the Greek for "ox-wounding", named for the sharp leaves.[37][38] 1 genus, in temperate Europe and Asia[36][39] Smooth-stemmed herbaceous aquatic, swamp or marsh plants, usually with milky latex.[40] They are consumed in parts of Russia, in bread or as a vegetable.[36] Alismatales
Cymodocea­ceae
(turtle-grass family)[41]
Cymodocea was named for Cymodoce, a Greek sea nymph.[42][43] 6 genera, in tropical and warm temperate seas[41][44] Large perennials,[41] up to 30 cm (12 in) long in the genus Cymodocea.[45] They nourish and shelter many crustaceans and fish that are harvested commercially.[41] Alismatales
Hydrocharita­ceae
(frogbit family)[46]
Hydrocharis is from the Greek for "water grace".[47][48] 14 genera, worldwide[46][49] Annual and perennial aquatic plants. One species is consumed in Asia. Many invasive genera have become entrenched, causing considerable economic damage.[46] Alismatales
Juncaginaceae
(arrowgrass family)[50]
Juncago (an earlier synonym for the type genus, Triglochin) is from the Latin for "a rush-like plant".[50][51] 3 genera, in northern temperate zones, South America, Oceania and parts of Africa[50][52] Herbaceous plants with grass-like leaves that grow in soil or water.[50][53] Two species are edible.[50] Alismatales
Maundiaceae
(Maund's-arrowgrass family)[54]
Maundia was named for John Maund (1823–1858), a physician and chemist.[55] 1 genus, in eastern Australia[54][56] Aquatic perennials with leaves up to 80 cm (31 in) long. The family is likely to become endangered as water tables recede in eastern Australia.[54] Alismatales
Posidoniaceae
(tapeweed family)[57]
Posidonia was named for Poseidon, a Greek god.[58] 1 genus, in the Mediterranean and oceans south and west of Australia[57][59] Submerged plants with long linear leaves. Genetically identical beds of Posidonia oceanica in the Mediterranean can be kilometers wide and persist for many thousands of years.[57] Alismatales
Potamogetona­ceae
(pondweed family)[60]
Potamogeton comes from Greek and Latin plant names.[61][62] 5 genera, worldwide[60][63] Aquatic plants, usually perennials.[60][64] The plants are an important food source for many birds and aquatic animals.[60] Alismatales
Ruppiaceae
(tasselweed family)[57]
Ruppia was named for Heinrich Bernhard Ruppius (1688–1719).[65] 1 genus, scattered worldwide, in ponds, marshes and shallow seas[57][66] Submerged herbaceous plants, usually annuals with stalkless leaves[57][67] Alismatales
Scheuchzeria­ceae
(Rannoch-rush family)[68]
Scheuchzeria was named for Johann Gaspar Scheuchzer (1684–1738) and his brother Johann Jacob.[69] 1 genus, in arctic sphagnum bogs[68][70] Perennial aquatic plants. The linear leaves have parallel veins.[68] Alismatales
Tofieldiaceae
(false-asphodel family)[71]
Tofieldia was named for Thomas Tofield (1730–1779).[72][73] 4 genera, mostly in northern boreal and montane zones, with some species in the US, China and Japan[71][74] Herbaceous rhizomatous perennials, usually with leaves attached at the plant's base[71][75] Alismatales
Zosteraceae
(eelgrass family)[76]
Zostera is from the Greek for "belt".[76][77] 2 genera, in temperate and subtropical sea beds[76][78] Perennials with simple leaves.[76][79] The plants have been used as packing material. The dense growths support commercially important fish and shrimp.[76] Alismatales

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The taxonomy (classification) in this list follows Plants of the World (2017)[1] and the fourth Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system.[2] Total counts of genera for each family come from Plants of the World Online.[3] (See the POWO license.) Extinct taxa are not included. The monocots as a whole are the plants responsible for most of the global agricultural output, including those in the grass, palm, banana, ginger, asparagus, pineapple, sedge and onion families.[4][5]
  2. ^ Each family's formal name ends in the Latin suffix -aceae and is derived from the name of a genus that is or once was part of the family.[13]
  3. ^ Some plants were named for naturalists (unless otherwise noted).
  4. ^ See Photosynthesis#C3 : C4 photosynthesis research for the chemistry of C4 photosynthesis.

Citations

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  1. ^ Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017.
  2. ^ a b c Angiosperm Phylogeny Group 2016.
  3. ^ POWO.
  4. ^ Givnish et al. 2010, p. 585.
  5. ^ a b Royal Botanic Gardens.
  6. ^ Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, pp. 115–116.
  7. ^ Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, pp. 115–131.
  8. ^ a b c Stevens 2023.
  9. ^ Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, pp. 117–120.
  10. ^ Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, pp. 638–670.
  11. ^ Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, pp. 10, 117.
  12. ^ Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, pp. 117–131.
  13. ^ ICN, art. 18.
  14. ^ Stevens 2023, Summary of APG IV.
  15. ^ a b c Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, p. 117.
  16. ^ Coombes 2012, p. 30.
  17. ^ Stearn 2002, p. 30.
  18. ^ POWO, Acoraceae.
  19. ^ a b c Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, p. 122.
  20. ^ Coombes 2012, p. 36.
  21. ^ Stearn 2002, p. 38.
  22. ^ IPNI, Alismataceae, Type.
  23. ^ POWO, Alismataceae.
  24. ^ a b POWO, Alismataceae, Flora of Tropical East Africa.
  25. ^ a b c Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, p. 126.
  26. ^ Stearn 2002, p. 48.
  27. ^ POWO, Aponogetonaceae.
  28. ^ POWO, Aponogetonaceae, Flora of Somalia.
  29. ^ POWO, Araceae, Neotropikey.
  30. ^ Coombes 2012, p. 52.
  31. ^ Stearn 2002, p. 53.
  32. ^ IPNI, Araceae, Type.
  33. ^ a b Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, pp. 118–120.
  34. ^ POWO, Araceae.
  35. ^ POWO, Rapateaceae, Flora of West Tropical Africa.
  36. ^ a b c Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, p. 123.
  37. ^ Coombes 2012, p. 72.
  38. ^ Stearn 2002, p. 73.
  39. ^ POWO, Butomaceae.
  40. ^ POWO, Butomaceae, Flora of Tropical East Africa.
  41. ^ a b c d Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, p. 131.
  42. ^ Burkhardt 2018, p. C-77.
  43. ^ IPNI, Cymodoceaceae, Type.
  44. ^ POWO, Cymodoceaceae.
  45. ^ POWO, Cymodoceaceae, Flora of Somalia.
  46. ^ a b c Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, pp. 123–125.
  47. ^ Stearn 2002, p. 170.
  48. ^ IPNI, Hydrocharitaceae, Type.
  49. ^ POWO, Hydrocharitaceae.
  50. ^ a b c d e Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, pp. 126–127.
  51. ^ USDA, Juncaginaceae, Type.
  52. ^ POWO, Juncaginaceae.
  53. ^ POWO, Juncaginaceae, Flora of Tropical East Africa.
  54. ^ a b c Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, p. 127.
  55. ^ Burkhardt 2018, p. M-34.
  56. ^ POWO, Maundiaceae.
  57. ^ a b c d e f Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, p. 130.
  58. ^ Burkhardt 2018, p. P-60.
  59. ^ POWO, Posidoniaceae.
  60. ^ a b c d Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, pp. 128–129.
  61. ^ Stearn 2002, p. 247.
  62. ^ IPNI, Potamogetonaceae, Type.
  63. ^ POWO, Potamogetonaceae.
  64. ^ POWO, Potamogetonaceae, Flora of Tropical East Africa.
  65. ^ Burkhardt 2018, p. R-55.
  66. ^ POWO, Ruppiaceae.
  67. ^ POWO, Ruppiaceae, Neotropikey.
  68. ^ a b c Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, p. 125.
  69. ^ Burkhardt 2018, p. S-22.
  70. ^ POWO, Scheuchzeriaceae.
  71. ^ a b c Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, p. 121.
  72. ^ Burkhardt 2018, p. T-26.
  73. ^ USDA, Tofieldiaceae, Type.
  74. ^ POWO, Tofieldiaceae.
  75. ^ POWO, Tofieldiaceae, Neotropikey.
  76. ^ a b c d e Christenhusz, Fay & Chase 2017, pp. 127–128.
  77. ^ IPNI, Zosteraceae, Type.
  78. ^ POWO, Zosteraceae.
  79. ^ POWO, Zosteraceae, Neotropikey.

References

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