The Malpighiales comprise one of the largest orders of flowering plants, containing about 36 families and more than species, about 7.8% of the eudicots. 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.
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.
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. 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.
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)).
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.
Achariaceae
Family: Achariaceae,
Acharia
Genus Acharia:
Ceratiosicyos
Genus Ceratiosicyos:
Guthriea
Genus Guthriea:
Kiggelaria
Genus Kiggelaria:
Rawsonia
Genus Rawsonia:
Xylotheca
Genus Xylotheca:
Chrysobalanaceae
Family: Chrysobalanaceae,
Parinari
Genus Parinari:
Clusiaceae
Family: Clusiaceae,
Clusia
Genus Clusia:
- Clusia rosea Jacq. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive
Garcinia
Genus Garcinia:
Dichapetalaceae
Family: Dichapetalaceae,
Dichapetalum
Genus Dichapetalum:
Tapura
Genus Tapura:
Elatinaceae
Family: Elatinaceae,
Bergia
Genus Bergia:
Elatine
Genus Elatine:
Erythroxylaceae
Family: Erythroxylaceae,
Erythroxylum
Genus Erythroxylum:
Nectaropetalum
Genus Nectaropetalum:
Euphorbiaceae
Family: Euphorbiaceae, 47 genera have been recorded. Not all are necessarily currently accepted.
Hypericaceae
Family: Hypericaceae,
Hypericum
Genus Hypericum:
- Hypericum aethiopicum Thunb. indigenous
- Hypericum aethiopicum Thunb. subsp. aethiopicum, indigenous
- Hypericum aethiopicum Thunb. subsp. sonderi (Bredell) N.Robson, indigenous
- Hypericum androsaemum L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Hypericum canariense L. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive
- Hypericum forrestii (Chitt.) N.Robson, not indigenous, naturalised
- Hypericum hookerianum Wight & Arn. not indigenous, naturalised
- Hypericum lalandii Choisy, indigenous
- Hypericum natalense J.M.Wood & M.S.Evans, indigenous
- Hypericum perforatum L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Hypericum pseudohenryi N.Robson, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Hypericum revolutum Vahl, indigenous
- Hypericum revolutum Vahl subsp. revolutum, indigenous
- Hypericum roeperianum G.W.Schimp. ex A.Rich. indigenous
- Hypericum roeperianum G.W.Schimp. ex A.Rich. var. roeperianum, indigenous
- Hypericum wilmsii R.Keller, indigenous
Linaceae
Family: Linaceae,
Hugonia
Genus Hugonia:
Linum
Genus Linum:
Malpighiaceae
Family: Malpighiaceae,
Acridocarpus
Genus Acridocarpus:
- Acridocarpus natalitius A.Juss. indigenous
- Acridocarpus natalitius A.Juss. var. linearifolius Launert, indigenous
- Acridocarpus natalitius A.Juss. var. natalitius, indigenous
Sphedamnocarpus
Genus Sphedamnocarpus:
- 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:
- 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
Ochnaceae
Family: Ochnaceae,
Brackenridgea
Genus Brackenridgea:
Ochna
Genus Ochna:
Passifloraceae
Family: Passifloraceae,
Adenia
Genus Adenia:
- 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:
Paropsia
Genus Paropsia:
Passiflora
Genus Passiflora:
- 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:
Phyllanthaceae
Family: Phyllanthaceae,
Andrachne
Genus Andrachne:
Antidesma
Genus Antidesma:
Bridelia
Genus Bridelia:
- 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:
Flueggea
Genus Flueggea:
- 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:
Hymenocardia
Genus Hymenocardia:
Lachnostylis
Genus Lachnostylis:
Margaritaria
Genus Margaritaria:
- 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:
- 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:
- Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax, indigenous
- Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax var. dekindtii (Pax) Radcl.-Sm. indigenous
- Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia Pax var. glabra (Pax) Brenan, indigenous
Picrodendraceae
Family: Picrodendraceae,
Androstachys
Genus Androstachys:
Hyaenanche
Genus Hyaenanche:
Podostemaceae
Family: Podostemaceae,
Leiothylax
Genus Leiothylax:
Sphaerothylax
Genus Sphaerothylax:
Tristicha
Genus Tristicha:
- Tristicha trifaria (Bory ex Willd.) Spreng. indigenous
- Tristicha trifaria (Bory ex Willd.) Spreng. subsp. trifaria, indigenous
Putranjivaceae
Family: Putranjivaceae,
Drypetes
Genus Drypetes:
Rhizophoraceae
Family: Rhizophoraceae,
Bruguiera
Genus Bruguiera:
Cassipourea
Genus Cassipourea:
Ceriops
Genus Ceriops:
Rhizophora
Genus Rhizophora:
Salicaceae
Family: Salicaceae,
Casearia
Genus Casearia:
Dovyalis
Genus Dovyalis:
Flacourtia
Genus Flacourtia:
Homalium
Genus Homalium:
Oncoba
Genus Oncoba:
- Oncoba spinosa Forssk. indigenous
- Oncoba spinosa Forssk. subsp. spinosa, indigenous
Populus
Genus Populus:
- Populus alba L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Populus alba L. var. alba, not indigenous, naturalised
- Populus canescens (Aiton) Sm. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Populus deltoides Bartram ex Marshall subsp. deltoides, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Populus nigra L. not indigenous, naturalised
- Populus nigra L. var. italica Munchh. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
Pseudoscolopia
Genus Pseudoscolopia:
Salix
Genus Salix:
- Salix babylonica L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Salix babylonica L. var. babylonica, not indigenous, naturalised
- Salix caprea L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
- Salix mucronata Thunb. indigenous
- Salix mucronata Thunb. subsp. capensis (Thunb.) Immelman, accepted as Salix mucronata Thunb. subsp. mucronata, present
- Salix mucronata Thunb. subsp. hirsuta (Thunb.) Immelman, endemic
- Salix mucronata Thunb. subsp. mucronata, indigenous
- Salix mucronata Thunb. subsp. wilmsii (Seemen) Immelman, accepted as Salix mucronata Thunb. subsp. woodii (Seemen) Immelman, present
- Salix mucronata Thunb. subsp. woodii (Seemen) Immelman, indigenous
- Salix subserrata Willd. accepted as Salix mucronata Thunb. subsp. subserrata (Willd.) R.H.Archer & Jordaan
- Salix x fragilis L. var. fragilis, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
Scolopia
Genus Scolopia:
Trimeria
Genus Trimeria:
Turneraceae
Family: Turneraceae,
Afroqueta
Genus Afroqueta:
Piriqueta
Genus Piriqueta:
Streptopetalum
Genus Streptopetalum:
Tricliceras
Genus Tricliceras:
Violaceae
Family: Violaceae,
Hybanthus
Genus Hybanthus:
- Hybanthus capensis (Thunb.) Engl. indigenous
- Hybanthus densifolius Engl. indigenous
- Hybanthus enneaspermus (L.) F.Muell. not indigenous, naturalised
- Hybanthus enneaspermus (L.) F.Muell. var. caffer (Sond.) N.Robson, not indigenous, naturalised
- Hybanthus enneaspermus (L.) F.Muell. var. enneaspermus, not indigenous, naturalised
- Hybanthus enneaspermus (L.) F.Muell. var. serratus Engl. not indigenous, naturalised
- Hybanthus parviflorus (L.f.) Baill. not indigenous, naturalised
Rinorea
Genus Rinorea:
- Rinorea angustifolia (Thouars) Baill. indigenous
- Rinorea angustifolia (Thouars) Baill. subsp. natalensis (Engl.) Grey-Wilson, indigenous
- Rinorea domatiosa A.E.van Wyk, endemic
- Rinorea ilicifolia (Welw. ex Oliv.) Kuntze, indigenous
- Rinorea ilicifolia (Welw. ex Oliv.) Kuntze subsp. ilicifolia, indigenous
- Rinorea ilicifolia (Welw. ex Oliv.) Kuntze subsp. ilicifolia var. ilicifolia, indigenous
Viola
Genus Viola:
References