Flowering plants in the order Malpighiales recorded from South Africa
The Malpighiales comprise one of the largest orders of flowering plants, containing about 36 families and more than 16,000 species, about 7.8% of the eudicots.[1][2] The order is very diverse, containing plants as different as the willow, violet, poinsettia, manchineel, rafflesia and coca plant, and are hard to recognize except with molecular phylogenetic evidence. It is not part of any of the classification systems based only on plant morphology. Molecular clock calculations estimate the origin of stem group Malpighiales at around 100 million years ago (Mya) and the origin of crown group Malpighiales at about 90 Mya.[3]
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.[4]
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.[5] 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.[6]
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)).[7]
20 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.
Chrysobalanaceae
Family: Chrysobalanaceae,[7]
Parinari
Genus Parinari:[7]
Dichapetalaceae
Family: Dichapetalaceae,[7]
Dichapetalum
Genus Dichapetalum:[7]
Tapura
Genus Tapura:[7]
Erythroxylaceae
Family: Erythroxylaceae,[7]
Erythroxylum
Genus Erythroxylum:[7]
- Erythroxylum delagoense Schinz, indigenous
- Erythroxylum emarginatum Thonn. indigenous
- Erythroxylum pictum E.Mey. ex Sond. endemic
Nectaropetalum
Genus Nectaropetalum:[7]
- Nectaropetalum capense (Bolus) Stapf & Boodle, endemic
- Nectaropetalum zuluense (Schonland) Corbishley, endemic
Euphorbiaceae
Family: Euphorbiaceae,[7] 47 genera have been recorded. Not all are necessarily currently accepted.
Malpighiaceae
Family: Malpighiaceae,[7]
Acridocarpus
Genus Acridocarpus:[7]
- Acridocarpus natalitius A.Juss. indigenous
- Acridocarpus natalitius A.Juss. var. linearifolius Launert, indigenous
- Acridocarpus natalitius A.Juss. var. natalitius, indigenous
Sphedamnocarpus
Genus Sphedamnocarpus:[7]
- Sphedamnocarpus pruriens (A.Juss.) Szyszyl. indigenous
- Sphedamnocarpus pruriens (A.Juss.) Szyszyl. subsp. galphimiifolius (A.Juss.) P.D.de Villiers & D.J.B, indigenous
- Sphedamnocarpus pruriens (A.Juss.) Szyszyl. subsp. pruriens, indigenous
- Sphedamnocarpus transvalicus (Kuntze) Burtt Davy, accepted as Sphedamnocarpus pruriens (A.Juss.) Szyszyl. subsp. galphimiifolius (A.Juss.) P.D.de Villiers & D.J.B, present
Triaspis
Genus Triaspis:[7]
- Triaspis glaucophylla Engl. endemic
- Triaspis hypericoides (DC.) Burch. indigenous
- Triaspis hypericoides (DC.) Burch. subsp. canescens (Engl.) Immelman, indigenous
- Triaspis hypericoides (DC.) Burch. subsp. hypericoides, indigenous
- Triaspis hypericoides (DC.) Burch. subsp. nelsonii (Oliv.) Immelman, indigenous
Passifloraceae
Family: Passifloraceae,[7]
Adenia
Genus Adenia:[7]
- Adenia digitata (Harv.) Engl. indigenous
- Adenia fruticosa Burtt Davy, indigenous
- Adenia fruticosa Burtt Davy subsp. fruticosa, endemic
- Adenia fruticosa Burtt Davy subsp. simplicifolia W.J.de Wilde, indigenous
- Adenia fruticosa Burtt Davy subsp. trifoliata W.J.de Wilde, endemic
- Adenia glauca Schinz, indigenous
- Adenia gummifera (Harv.) Harms, indigenous
- Adenia gummifera (Harv.) Harms var. gummifera, indigenous
- Adenia hastata (Harv.) Schinz, indigenous
- Adenia hastata (Harv.) Schinz var. glandulifera W.J.de Wilde, indigenous
- Adenia hastata (Harv.) Schinz var. hastata, indigenous
- Adenia natalensis W.J.de Wilde, endemic
- Adenia repanda (Burch.) Engl. indigenous
- Adenia spinosa Burtt Davy, indigenous
- Adenia wilmsii Harms, endemic
Basananthe
Genus Basananthe:[7]
- Basananthe pedata (Baker f.) W.J.de Wilde, indigenous
- Basananthe polygaloides (Hutch. & K.Pearce) W.J.de Wilde, endemic
- Basananthe sandersonii (Harv.) W.J.de Wilde, indigenous
- Basananthe triloba (Bolus) W.J.de Wilde, indigenous
Paropsia
Genus Paropsia:[7]
- Paropsia braunii Gilg, indigenous
Passiflora
Genus Passiflora:[7]
- Passiflora caerulea L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Passiflora edulis Sims, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Passiflora foetida L. not indigenous, naturalised
- Passiflora manicata (Juss.) Pers. not indigenous, naturalised
- Passiflora mollissima (Kunth) L.H.Bailey, accepted as Passiflora tripartita Breiter var. mollissima (Kunth) Holm-Niels. & P.Jorg. not indigenous, naturalised
- Passiflora suberosa L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Passiflora subpeltata Ortega, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Passiflora tripartita Breiter var. mollissima (Kunth) Holm-Niels. & P.Jorg. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
Schlechterina
Genus Schlechterina:[7]
Phyllanthaceae
Family: Phyllanthaceae,[7]
Andrachne
Genus Andrachne:[7]
Antidesma
Genus Antidesma:[7]
Bridelia
Genus Bridelia:[7]
- Bridelia cathartica G.Bertol. indigenous
- Bridelia cathartica G.Bertol. subsp. cathartica, indigenous
- Bridelia cathartica G.Bertol. var. melanthesoides forma melanthesoides, indigenous
- Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill. indigenous
- Bridelia mollis Hutch. indigenous
Cleistanthus
Genus Cleistanthus:[7]
Flueggea
Genus Flueggea:[7]
- Flueggea verrucosa (Thunb.) G.L.Webster, endemic
- Flueggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Voigt, indigenous
- Flueggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Voigt subsp. virosa, indigenous
Heywoodia
Genus Heywoodia:[7]
Hymenocardia
Genus Hymenocardia:[7]
- Hymenocardia ulmoides Oliv. indigenous
- Hymenocardia ulmoides Oliv. var. capensis Pax, accepted as Hymenocardia ulmoides Oliv. indigenous
Lachnostylis
Genus Lachnostylis:[7]
- Lachnostylis bilocularis R.A.Dyer, endemic
- Lachnostylis hanekomii R.H.Archer & J.C.Manning, endemic
- Lachnostylis hirta (L.f.) Mull.Arg. endemic
Margaritaria
Genus Margaritaria:[7]
- Margaritaria discoidea (Baill.) G.L.Webster, indigenous
- Margaritaria discoidea (Baill.) G.L.Webster var. fagifolia (Pax) Radcl.-Sm. indigenous
- Margaritaria discoidea (Baill.) G.L.Webster var. nitida (Pax) Radcl.-Sm. indigenous
Phyllanthus
Genus Phyllanthus:[7]
- Phyllanthus asperulatus Hutch. indigenous
- Phyllanthus burchellii Mull.Arg. accepted as Phyllanthus parvulus Sond. var. garipensis (E.Mey. ex Drege) Radcl.-Sm. present
- Phyllanthus cedrelifolius I.Verd. accepted as Phyllanthus polyanthus Pax, present
- Phyllanthus delagoensis Hutch. indigenous
- Phyllanthus fraternus G.L.Webster, not indigenous, naturalised
- Phyllanthus genistoides Sond. accepted as Phyllanthus incurvus Thunb. present
- Phyllanthus glaucophyllus Sond. indigenous
- Phyllanthus graminicola Hutch. ex S.Moore, indigenous
- Phyllanthus heterophyllus E.Mey. ex Mull.Arg. indigenous
- Phyllanthus incurvus Thunb. indigenous
- Phyllanthus loandensis Welw. ex Mull.Arg. indigenous
- Phyllanthus macranthus Pax, indigenous
- Phyllanthus macranthus Pax var. macranthus, indigenous
- Phyllanthus maderaspatensis L. indigenous
- Phyllanthus meyerianus Mull.Arg. indigenous
- Phyllanthus myrtaceus Sond. indigenous
- Phyllanthus nummulariifolius Poir. indigenous
- Phyllanthus nummulariifolius Poir. var. nummulariifolius, indigenous
- Phyllanthus omahakensis Dinter & Pax, indigenous
- Phyllanthus parvulus Sond. indigenous
- Phyllanthus parvulus Sond. var. garipensis (E.Mey. ex Drege) Radcl.-Sm. indigenous
- Phyllanthus parvulus Sond. var. parvulus, indigenous
- Phyllanthus pentandrus Schumach. & Thonn. indigenous
- Phyllanthus pinnatus (Wight) G.L.Webster, indigenous
- Phyllanthus polyanthus Pax, indigenous
- Phyllanthus polyspermus Schumach. indigenous
- Phyllanthus reticulatus Poir. indigenous
- Phyllanthus reticulatus Poir. var. reticulatus, indigenous
- Phyllanthus tenellus Roxb. var. garipensis (E.Mey. ex Drege) Mull.Arg. accepted as Phyllanthus parvulus Sond. var. garipensis (E.Mey. ex Drege) Radcl.-Sm. present
Pseudolachnostylis
Genus Pseudolachnostylis:[7]
- Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax, indigenous
- Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax var. dekindtii (Pax) Radcl.-Sm. indigenous
- Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax var. glabra (Pax) Brenan, indigenous
Picrodendraceae
Family: Picrodendraceae,[7]
Androstachys
Genus Androstachys:[7]
Hyaenanche
Genus Hyaenanche:[7]
Podostemaceae
Family: Podostemaceae,[7]
Leiothylax
Genus Leiothylax:[7]
Sphaerothylax
Genus Sphaerothylax:[7]
- Sphaerothylax algiformis Bisch. ex C.Krauss, indigenous
Tristicha
Genus Tristicha:[7]
- Tristicha trifaria (Bory ex Willd.) Spreng. indigenous
- Tristicha trifaria (Bory ex Willd.) Spreng. subsp. trifaria, indigenous
Putranjivaceae
Family: Putranjivaceae,[7]
Drypetes
Genus Drypetes:[7]
- Drypetes arguta (Mull.Arg.) Hutch. indigenous
- Drypetes gerrardii Hutch. indigenous
- Drypetes gerrardii Hutch. var. gerrardii, indigenous
- Drypetes gerrardii Hutch. var. tomentosa Radcl.-Sm. indigenous
- Drypetes mossambicensis Hutch. indigenous
- Drypetes natalensis (Harv.) Hutch. indigenous
- Drypetes natalensis (Harv.) Hutch. var. natalensis, indigenous
- Drypetes reticulata Pax, indigenous
Rhizophoraceae
Family: Rhizophoraceae,[7]
Bruguiera
Genus Bruguiera:[7]
Cassipourea
Genus Cassipourea:[7]
Ceriops
Genus Ceriops:[7]
Rhizophora
Genus Rhizophora:[7]