Geraniales
Encyclopedia
Geraniales are a small order of flowering plant
s, included within the rosid subgroup of dicotyledon
s. The largest family in the order is Geraniaceae
with over 800 species. In addition, the order includes some small families, contributing together another less than 40 species. Most Geraniales are herbaceous, but there are also shrubs and small trees.
The economic importance of Geraniales is low. Some species of the genus Pelargonium are cultivated for their aromatic oil used in the perfume industry. Some other species, also mostly Geraniaceae, have horticultural or medicinal uses.
Paleobotanic record is missing.
with Greyiaceae are included within Geraniaceae and Melianthaceae respectively, but may also be treated separately. Instead, the Ledocarpaceae may be included within the Vivianiaceae.
Under the Cronquist system
, the Geraniales had a different composition, comprising the following families:
The Vivianiaceae and Ledocarpaceae were included within the Geraniaceae, and the Hypseocharitaceae within the Oxalidaceae, which are now treated in the order Oxalidales
. The Melianthaceae were placed within the Sapindales
, the Greyiaceae and Francoaceae within the Rosales
, the latter subsumed within the Saxifragaceae
.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
s, included within the rosid subgroup of dicotyledon
Dicotyledon
The dicotyledons, also known as dicots, are a group of flowering plants whose seed typically has two embryonic leaves or cotyledons. There are around 199,350 species within this group...
s. The largest family in the order is Geraniaceae
Geraniaceae
Geraniaceae is a family of flowering plants placed in the order Geraniales. The family name is derived from the genus Geranium. It includes both the genus Geranium and the garden plants called geraniums, which modern botany classifies as genus Pelargonium, along with other related genera.There are...
with over 800 species. In addition, the order includes some small families, contributing together another less than 40 species. Most Geraniales are herbaceous, but there are also shrubs and small trees.
The economic importance of Geraniales is low. Some species of the genus Pelargonium are cultivated for their aromatic oil used in the perfume industry. Some other species, also mostly Geraniaceae, have horticultural or medicinal uses.
Paleobotanic record is missing.
Classification
The families given at right are typical of newer classifications. In this definition, Hypseocharitaceae and FrancoaceaeFrancoaceae
The Francoaceae are a small family of plants, including the genus Francoa, commonly known as Bridal Wreaths. There are two genera, each with a single species....
with Greyiaceae are included within Geraniaceae and Melianthaceae respectively, but may also be treated separately. Instead, the Ledocarpaceae may be included within the Vivianiaceae.
Under the Cronquist system
Cronquist system
The Cronquist system is a taxonomic classification system of flowering plants. It was developed by Arthur Cronquist in his texts An Integrated System of Classification of Flowering Plants and The Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants .Cronquist's system places flowering plants into two...
, the Geraniales had a different composition, comprising the following families:
- Family GeraniaceaeGeraniaceaeGeraniaceae is a family of flowering plants placed in the order Geraniales. The family name is derived from the genus Geranium. It includes both the genus Geranium and the garden plants called geraniums, which modern botany classifies as genus Pelargonium, along with other related genera.There are...
- Family OxalidaceaeOxalidaceaeThe Oxalidaceae, or wood sorrel family, are a small family of eight genera of herbaceous plants, shrubs and small trees, with the great majority of the 900 species in the genus Oxalis...
- Family LimnanthaceaeLimnanthaceaeLimnanthaceae are a small family of annual herbs occurring throughout temperate North America. There are eight species and nineteen taxa currently recognized. Members of this family are prominent in vernal pool communities of California. Some taxa have been domesticated for use as an oil seed crop...
- Family Tropaeolaceae
- Family BalsaminaceaeBalsaminaceaeBalsaminaceae are a family of dicotyledonous plants, comprising two genera and 850+ species, all but one of which belong to the genus Impatiens...
The Vivianiaceae and Ledocarpaceae were included within the Geraniaceae, and the Hypseocharitaceae within the Oxalidaceae, which are now treated in the order Oxalidales
Oxalidales
The Oxalidales are an order of flowering plants, included within the rosid subgroup of eudicots. The following families are typically placed here:* Family Brunelliaceae* Family Cephalotaceae * Family Connaraceae...
. The Melianthaceae were placed within the Sapindales
Sapindales
Sapindales is a botanical name for an order of flowering plants. Well-known members of Sapindales include citrus; maples, horse-chestnuts, lychees and rambutans; mangos and cashews; frankincense and myrrh; mahogany and neem....
, the Greyiaceae and Francoaceae within the Rosales
Rosales
Rosales is an order of flowering plants. It is one of the four orders in the nitrogen fixing clade of the fabids and is sister to a clade consisting of Fagales and Cucurbitales. It contains about 7700 species, distributed into about 260 genera. Rosales comprises nine families, the type family...
, the latter subsumed within the Saxifragaceae
Saxifragaceae
Saxifragaceae is a plant family with about 460 known species in 36 genera. In Europe there are 12 genera.The flowers are hermaphroditic and actinomorphic...
.