Crassulaceae
IUCN
NCBI
EOL Text
 Rosularia flower |
The Crassulaceae, also known as the stonecrop family or the orpine family, are a family of dicotyledons with succulent leaves. They are generally herbaceous but there are some subshrubs, and relatively few treelike or aquatic plants. They are found worldwide, but mostly occur in the Northern Hemisphere and southern Africa, typically in dry and/or cold areas where water may be scarce. The family includes approximately 1,200-1,500 species and 34 genera.[2]
No member of this family is an important crop plant, but many are popular for horticulture; many members have a bizarre intriguing appearance, and are quite hardy, typically needing only minimal care. Familiar species include the Jade plant or "friendship tree", Crassula ovata and "Florists' Kalanchoe", Kalanchoe blossfeldia.
Taxonomy[edit]
Pig's Ear Flower (Cotyledon orbiculata)
Crassulaceae is a monophyletic group within the core eudicots as a primitive member of the Rosidae, and classified in the order Saxifragales.[3] Some older classifications included Crassulaceae in Rosales, but newer schemes treat them in the order Saxifragales. Classification within the family is difficult because many of the species hybridize readily, both in the wild and in cultivation.
Six subfamilies of Crassulaceae were described by Berger in 1930:[4] Crassuloideae, Kalanchiodeae, Cotyledonoideae, Sempervivoideae, Sedoideae, and Echeveroideae. Though various revisions since have proposed four, three, and two subfamilies, many botanists still use Berger's classification,[5] though some of the subfamilies are considered to be paraphyletic.
Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM photosynthesis) is named after the family, because the pathway was first discovered in crassulacean plants. It is one of the few families that still has CAM as an active, photosynthetic pathway, and is unique in which all its members are known to possess CAM.[6]
Evolution[edit]
Crassulaceae evolved approximately 100-60 million years ago in Eastern Africa or in the Mediterranean region,[2] though Africa is more widely recognized as the place of origin.[6] Other sources suggest that Crassulaceae evolved approximately 70 million years ago together with families Penthoraceae and Haloragaceae.[5] The taxon is considered to have a gradual evolution, whereas there is a basal split between Crassuloideae and the rest of the family. The Crassuloideae lineage migrated into Southern Africa and other genera within Sedoideae migrated to Europe, Asia, Northern and Central America.[2]
Genera[edit]
 |
This section does not cite any references or sources. (December 2013) |
- Adromischus
- Aeonium
- Aichryson
- Cotyledon
- Crassula
- Diamorpha
- Dudleya
- Echeveria
- Graptopetalum
- Hylotelephium
- Hypagophytum
- Jovibarba
- Kalanchoe
- Lenophyllum
- Monanthes
- Orostachys
- Pachyphytum
- Perrierosedum
- Prometheum
- Pseudosedum
- Rhodiola
- Rosularia
- Sedum
- Sempervivum
- Thompsonella (Mexico)
- Tylecodon
- Umbilicus
- Villadia
References[edit]
- ^ Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2009). "An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III" (PDF). Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 161 (2): 105–121. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x. Retrieved 2013-07-06.
- ^ a b c t'Hart, H. (1997). Diversity within Mediterranean Crassulaceae. Lagascalia, 1-2, 93-100.
- ^ Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (2009). "An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG III". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 161 (2): 105–121. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.2009.00996.x.
- ^ Berger, A. 1930. Crassulacaeae. In Die naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien Ed. Engler A., and Prantl, K. Volume 18A, p. 352-483. Verlag von WEngelmann, Leipzig.
- ^ a b Gontcharova, S. B., & Gontcharov, A. A. (2008). Molecular Phylogeny and Systematics of Flowering Plants of the Family Crassulaceae DC. Molecular Biology, 43(5), 794-803.
- ^ a b Thiede, J., & Eggli, a. U. (2007). Crassulaceae. The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, 9, 83-118.
- Urs Eggli, ed. Illustrated Handbook of Succulent Plants: Crassulaceae (Springer, 2003) ISBN 3-540-41965-9
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Wikipedia |
| Source | http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Crassulaceae&oldid=610995422 |
Annual, biennial or perennial herbs, subshrubs or shrubs, succulent. Stipules 0. Leaves opposite, whorled or alternate, usually simple, sometimes compound. Inflorescence consisting of axillary or terminal cymes grouped in corymbs or panicles, less often a raceme or spike or composed of solitary flowers. Flowers usually bisexual, actinomorphic, (3-)4-5(-6)-merous. Sepals free or ± united at the base. Petals as many as sepals. Stamens as many or twice as many as petals. Ovary superior; carpels free or united up to the middle. Fruit a follicle. Seeds usually minute. Nectariferous scales usually present, small, one at base of each carpel.
| License | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ |
| Rights holder/Author | Mark Hyde, Bart Wursten, Petra Ballings, Flora of Zimbabwe |
| Source | http://www.zimbabweflora.co.zw/speciesdata/family.php?family_id=64 |
Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLD) Stats
Specimen Records:939
Specimens with Sequences:1236
Specimens with Barcodes:777
Species:431
Species With Barcodes:408
Public Records:534
Public Species:283
Public BINs:0