Restionaceae

Taxobox
name = Restionaceae
fossil_range = Late Cretaceous to recent

---

image_width = 230px
image_caption = "Restio tetraphyllus"
regnum = Plantae
divisio = Magnoliophyta
classis = Liliopsida
ordo = Poales
familia = Restionaceae
familia_authority = R.Br.
subdivision_ranks = Genera
subdivision =
*"Alexgeorgia"
*"Calopsis"
*"Cannomois"
*"Chondropetalum"
*"Elegia"
*"Hopkinsia"
*"Hypolaena"
*"Hypodiscus"
*"Ischyrolepis"
*"Leptocarpus"
*"Lepyprodia"
*"Loxocarya"
*"Lyginia"
*"Restio"
*"Staberoha"
*"Thamnochortus" and others. (see text)

Restionaceae is the botanical name for a family of flowering plants. Such a family has been recognized by most taxonomists. The [http://www.mobot.org/MOBOT/Research/APweb/welcome.html AP-Website] [May 2006] assumes 58 genera and 520 species, which agrees well with the "Flora of China".

Description

The family consists of tufted or rhizomatous herbaceous plants, superficially Rush-like in overall appearance. They belong to a group of monocotyledons that include several superficially similar families such as the sedges, rushes and true grasses.

Distribution

Plants in the family are primarily distributed in southern Africa and Australia, and are often dominant elements of the flora in Mediterranean climates of South Africa and Western Australia. [cite journal | first = H. Peter | last = Linder | coauthors = Pia Eldenas, Barbara G. Briggs | year=2003 | title = Contrasting patterns of radiation in African and Australian Restionaceae | journal=Evolution | volume=57 |issue=12 | pages=2688–2702 | url=http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.0014-3820.2003.tb01513.x | doi=10.1111/j.0014-3820.2003.tb01513.x ] A few species extand northward into southeast Asia, and there is a single South American species. Many of the African species are becoming very popular as garden ornamentals in many parts of the world, some having an almost Bamboo-like habit both in their vigorous cane-like stems and their size.

Classification

The APG II system, of 2003 (unchanged from the APG system, 1998), recognizes this family and assigns it to the order Poales, in the clade commelinids of the monocots.

The Cronquist system, of 1981, also recognized this family and placed it in the order Restionales, in the subclass Commelinidae in class Liliopsida in division Magnoliophyta.

Genera

There are 58 genera in the Restionaceae:

:"Alexgeorgea", "Anthochortus", "Askidiosperma", "Calopsis", "Calorophus", "Cannomois", "Ceratocaryum", "Chaetanthus", "Chondropetalum", "Coleocarya", "Dielsia", "Dovea", "Elegia", "Empodisma", "Harperia", "Hopkinsia", "Hydrophilus", "Hypodiscus", "Hypolaena", "Ischyrolepis", "Lepidobolus", "Leptocarpus", "Lepyrodia", "Loxocarya", "Mastersiella", "Meeboldina", "Megalotheca", "Nevillea", "Onychosepalum", "Phyllocomos", "Platycaulos", "Pseudoloxocarya", "Restio", "Rhodocoma", "Sporadanthus", "Staberoha", "Thamnochortus", "Willdenowia", "Winifredia"

References

External links

* [http://delta-intkey.com/angio/www/restiona.htm Restionaceae] in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). " [http://delta-intkey.com/angio/ The families of flowering plants] : descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval." Version: 27 April 2006. http://delta-intkey.com.
* [http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=10761 Restionaceae in the "Flora of China"]
* [http://florabase.calm.wa.gov.au/search/quick?q=Restionaceae&x=0&y=0 Florabase] [218 entries, in Restionaceae sensu lato]
* [http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Taxonomy/Browser/wwwtax.cgi?mode=Tree&id=14107&lvl=3&lin=f&keep=1&srchmode=1&unlock NCBI Taxonomy Browser]