List of the largest genera of flowering plants

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Agamospecies in the Ranunculus auricomus complex help to swell the number of species in the genus Ranunculus. Ranunculus auricomus.jpg
Agamospecies in the Ranunculus auricomus complex help to swell the number of species in the genus Ranunculus .

There are over 56 genera of flowering plants estimated to contain at least 500 described species. The largest of these is currently the legume genus Astragalus (milk-vetches), with over 3,000 species.

The sizes of plant genera vary widely from those containing a single species to genera containing thousands of species, and this disparity became clear early in the history of plant classification. The largest genus in Carl Linnaeus' seminal Species Plantarum was Euphorbia , with 56 species; Linnaeus believed that no genus should contain more than 100 species. [1]

Part of the disparity in genus sizes is attributable to historical factors. According to a hypothesis published by Max Walters in 1961, the size of plant genera is related to the age, not of the taxon itself, but of the concept of the taxon in the minds of taxonomists. [2] Plants which grew in Europe, where most of the early taxonomy was based, were therefore divided into relatively small genera, while those from the tropics were grouped into much larger and more heterogeneous genera. [2] [3] Likewise, plants which shared common medicinal properties, such as the many species of Euphorbia , were united into a single genus, while plants of diverse uses, such as the grasses, were split into many genera. [2] Where there were many classical names for groups of plants, such as in Apiaceae / Umbelliferae or Brassicaceae / Cruciferae, small genera were defined, whereas groups not subdivided by classical authors remained as larger genera, such as Carex . [2] [3] A number of biological factors also influence the number of species. For instance, the occurrence of apomixis allows the recognition of large numbers of agamospecies, and such taxa have helped to bolster genera such as Ranunculus and Potentilla . [1]

The introduction of infrageneric taxa (such as the subgenus, section and series) in the 19th century by botanists including Augustin Pyrame de Candolle allowed the retention of large genera that would otherwise have become unwieldy. E. J. H. Corner believed that studying large genera might enable greater insights into evolutionary biology, and he concentrated his efforts on large tropical genera such as Ficus . [1]

Largest genera

According to a 2004 analysis by the botanical taxonomist David G. Frodin, a total of 57 genera of flowering plants contain at least 500 species. [1] It is clear that there are other genera with over 500 species, as the work of taxonomists continues. [3] Currently the number of species included in many genera is very different (e.g. see Psychotria ), so their ranking is subject to changes. The actual numbers of species are imprecisely known also because of different approaches of taxonomists, and many of the genera have not been the subject of recent monographs. For instance, estimates of the number of species in the orchid genus Pleurothallis range from 1,120 to 2,500. Genera from some other groups of vascular plants (like pteridophytes), which have similarly large numbers of species, include Selaginella , Asplenium and Cyathea . [1]

Astragalus is the largest flowering plant genus, with more than 3,200 species, including Astragalus agnicidus. Astragalusagnicidus.jpg
Astragalus is the largest flowering plant genus, with more than 3,200 species, including Astragalus agnicidus .
Bulbophyllum is the second largest flowering plant genus, with more than 2,000 species, including Bulbophyllum guttulatum. Bulbophyllumguttulatum24.JPG
Bulbophyllum is the second largest flowering plant genus, with more than 2,000 species, including Bulbophyllum guttulatum .
Psychotria is the third largest flowering plant genus, with more than 1,900 species, including Psychotria mariniana. Starr 020925-0087 Psychotria mariniana.jpg
Psychotria is the third largest flowering plant genus, with more than 1,900 species, including Psychotria mariniana .
Euphorbia is the fourth largest flowering plant genus, with more than 1,800 species, including Euphorbia amygdaloides. Euphorbia amygdaloides - Berlin Botanical Garden - IMG 8500.JPG
Euphorbia is the fourth largest flowering plant genus, with more than 1,800 species, including Euphorbia amygdaloides .
Carex is the fifth largest flowering plant genus, with more than 1,700 species, including Carex pilulifera. Carex pilulifera habitus.jpeg
Carex is the fifth largest flowering plant genus, with more than 1,700 species, including Carex pilulifera .
Genera of flowering plants with at least 500 species in 2004 [1]
RankGenusSpeciesFamilySpecies list
1 Astragalus Fabaceae List of Astragalus species
2 Bulbophyllum Orchidaceae List of Bulbophyllum species
3 Psychotria Rubiaceae List of Psychotria species
4 Euphorbia Euphorbiaceae List of Euphorbia species
5 Carex Cyperaceae List of Carex species
6 Begonia Begoniaceae List of Begonia species
7 Dendrobium Orchidaceae List of Dendrobium species
8 Acacia Fabaceae List of Acacia species
9 Solanum Solanaceae List of Solanum species
10 Senecio Asteraceae List of Senecio species
11 Croton Euphorbiaceae List of Croton species
12 Pleurothallis Orchidaceae List of Pleurothallis species
13 Eugenia Myrtaceae List of Eugenia species
14 Piper Piperaceae List of Piper species
15 Ardisia Primulaceae List of Ardisia species
16 Syzygium Myrtaceae List of Syzygium species
17 Rhododendron Ericaceae List of Rhododendron species
18 Miconia Melastomataceae List of Miconia species
19 Peperomia Piperaceae List of Peperomia species
20 Salvia Lamiaceae List of Salvia species
21 Erica Ericaceae List of Erica species
22 Impatiens Balsaminaceae List of Impatiens species
23 Cyperus Cyperaceae List of Cyperus species
24 Phyllanthus Phyllanthaceae List of Phyllanthus species
25 Allium Amaryllidaceae List of Allium species
26 Epidendrum Orchidaceae List of Epidendrum species
27 Vernonia Asteraceae List of Vernonia species
28 Lepanthes Orchidaceae List of Lepanthes species
29 Anthurium Araceae List of Anthurium species
30 Diospyros Ebenaceae List of Diospyros species
31 Ficus Moraceae List of Ficus species
32 Indigofera Fabaceae
33 Justicia Acanthaceae List of Justicia species
34 Silene Caryophyllaceae List of Silene species
35 Oxalis Oxalidaceae List of Oxalis species
36 Crotalaria Fabaceae List of Crotalaria species
37 Centaurea Asteraceae List of Centaurea species
38 Cassia Fabaceae
39 Eucalyptus Myrtaceae List of Eucalyptus species
40 Oncidium Orchidaceae
41 Galium Rubiaceae List of Galium species
42 Cousinia Asteraceae List of Cousinia species
43 Ipomoea Convolvulaceae List of Ipomoea species
44 Dioscorea Dioscoreaceae
45 Cyrtandra Gesneriaceae List of Cyrtandra species
46 Helichrysum Asteraceae List of Helichrysum species
47 Ranunculus Ranunculaceae List of Ranunculus species
48 Habenaria Orchidaceae List of Habenaria species
49 Schefflera Araliaceae List of Schefflera species
50 Ixora Rubiaceae List of Ixora species
51 Berberis Berberidaceae List of Berberis species
52 Quercus Fagaceae List of Quercus species
53 Pandanus Pandanaceae List of Pandanus species
54 Panicum Poaceae List of Panicum species
55 Polygala Polygalaceae List of Polygala species
56 Potentilla Rosaceae List of Potentilla species

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Genus is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclature, the genus name forms the first part of the binomial species name for each species within the genus.

<i>Begonia</i> Genus of perennial flowering plants

Begonia is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Begoniaceae. The genus contains more than 2,000 different plant species. The Begonias are native to moist subtropical and tropical climates. Some species are commonly grown indoors as ornamental houseplants in cooler climates. In cooler climates some species are cultivated outside in summertime for their bright colorful flowers, which have sepals but no petals.

In biological classification, class is a taxonomic rank, as well as a taxonomic unit, a taxon, in that rank. It is a group of related taxonomic orders. Other well-known ranks in descending order of size are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, order, family, genus, and species, with class ranking between phylum and order.

<i>Euphorbia</i> Genus of flowering plants in the spurge family Euphorbiaceae

Euphorbia is a very large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. "Euphorbia" is sometimes used in ordinary English to collectively refer to all members of Euphorbiaceae, not just to members of the genus.

<i>Senecio</i> Genus of flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae

Senecio is a genus of flowering plants in the daisy family (Asteraceae) that includes ragworts and groundsels.

<i>Bulbophyllum</i> Genus of orchids

Bulbophyllum is a genus of mostly epiphytic and lithophytic orchids in the family Orchidaceae. It is the largest genus in the orchid family and one of the largest genera of flowering plants with more than 2,000 species, exceeded in number only by Astragalus. These orchids are found in diverse habitats throughout most of the warmer parts of the world including Africa, southern Asia, Latin America, the West Indies, and various islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Orchids in this genus have thread-like or fibrous roots that creep over the surface of trees or rocks or hang from branches. The stem is divided into a rhizome and a pseudobulb, a feature that distinguished this genus from Dendrobium. There is usually only a single leaf at the top of the pseudobulb and from one to many flowers are arranged along an unbranched flowering stem that arises from the base of the pseudobulb. Several attempts have been made to separate Bulbophyllum into smaller genera, but most have not been accepted by the World Checklist of Selected Plant Families.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crassulaceae</span> Family of flowering plants

The Crassulaceae, also known as the stonecrop family or the orpine family, are a diverse family of dicotyledon flowering plants characterized by succulent leaves and a unique form of photosynthesis, known as Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM). Flowers generally have five floral parts. Crassulaceae are usually herbaceous but there are some subshrubs, and relatively few treelike or aquatic plants. Crassulaceae are a medium size monophyletic family in the core eudicots, among the order Saxifragales, whose diversity has made infrafamilial classification very difficult. The family includes approximately 1,400 species and 34–35 genera, depending on the circumscription of the genus Sedum, and distributed over three subfamilies. Members of the Crassulaceae are found worldwide, but mostly in the Northern Hemisphere and southern Africa, typically in dry and/or cold areas where water may be scarce, although a few are aquatic.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bombacaceae</span> Family of flowering plants

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<i>Critica Botanica</i>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amaryllidaceae</span> Family of flowering plants

The Amaryllidaceae are a family of herbaceous, mainly perennial and bulbous flowering plants in the monocot order Asparagales. The family takes its name from the genus Amaryllis and is commonly known as the amaryllis family. The leaves are usually linear, and the flowers are usually bisexual and symmetrical, arranged in umbels on the stem. The petals and sepals are undifferentiated as tepals, which may be fused at the base into a floral tube. Some also display a corona. Allyl sulfide compounds produce the characteristic odour of the onion subfamily (Allioideae).

<i>Allium</i> Genus of flowering plants in the family Amaryllidaceae

Allium is a genus of monocotyledonous flowering plants with hundreds of species, including the cultivated onion, garlic, scallion, shallot, leek, and chives. The generic name Allium is the Latin word for garlic, and the type species for the genus is Allium sativum which means "cultivated garlic".

Sanango is a genus of flowering plants containing a single species, Sanango racemosum. The genus was originally placed in family Loganiaceae but has since been variously placed in Scrophulariaceae, Gesneriaceae and Buddlejaceae. As of 2016 it is considered to be the sister genus to the family Gesneriaceae as previously defined, and the family was tentatively enlarged to include the genus, pending a revision of the families included in Lamiales. It has been placed as the only genus in the monotypic subfamily Sanangoideae.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 David G. Frodin (2004). "History and concepts of big plant genera". Taxon . 53 (3): 753–776. doi:10.2307/4135449. JSTOR   4135449.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Max Walters (1961). "The shaping of angiosperm taxonomy". New Phytologist . 60 (1): 74–84. doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8137.1961.tb06241.x . JSTOR   2429789.
  3. 1 2 3 David J. Mabberley (2008). "Introduction". Mabberley's Plant-book: a Portable Dictionary of Plants, their Classification and Uses (3rd ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. vii–xv. ISBN   978-0-521-82071-4.
  4. Daniel, Thomas F. (2011). "Justicia (Acanthaceae) in Texas". Journal of the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. 5 (2): 595–618. JSTOR   41972309.