88CHAPTER 7: DIVERSITY AND
CLASSIFICATION OF FLOWERING
PLANTS
MAJOR ANGIOSPERM CLADES
 APG III system- is based on
published cladistic analyses
primarily utilizing molecular data or
a combination of morphological and
molecular.
 Classifies one to
several families into orders ( Ending
in “-ales”).
 Orders can be
viewed simply as convenient
placeholders for one or more
families that appear to compromise
a monophyletic group.
 Great bulk of Angiosperms in terms
of species are contained within the
monocots and eudicots.
 Monocotyledon- 22% of all
angiosperms
 Eudicots- 75% of all angiosperms
FAMILY DESCRIPTIONS
 1st paragraph contains description
about plant characteristics of the
family members ( root,stem and
leaf; inflorescence, flower,
perianth)
 2nd paragraph lists familial
classification, distribution and
economically important members
 3rd paragraph contains the
diagnostic features of the family,
most important diagnostic features
are shown in boldface italic.
 Floral formulas- used to
summarize the number and fusion
of floral parts.
 “P”- refers to perianth parts
 “K”- represents the
numbers of sepal or calyx
 “C” – number of petals or
corolla lobes
 “A”- Androecium and
number of stamens
 “G”- denotes the
gynoecium and number of carpels,
followed by superior and inferior
denoting ovary position
 “()”- denotes fusion of floral
parts
 “+”- denotes separation of
floral parts
 “[]”- denotes a less
common or rare condition
 “”- denotes numerous
parts
AMBORELLALES
 Most basal angiosperm group
 Absence of vessels, as an
ancestral condition
 Absence of aromatic oil cells
AMBORELLACEAE
 Amborella family
 Single specie, Amborella
trichopoda
 Dioecious
 Leaves: alternate, spiral to
distichous, evergreen
 Inflorescence: axillary cyme
 Flowers: unisexual,
actinomorphic
 Perianth: 5-8, spiral, distinct
 Stamens: are numerous in
males
 Anthers: longitudinal
dehiscence
 Gynoecium- 5-6, superior
 Placentation: marginal
 Ovule: solitary

*The Amborellaceae are
distinctive in being vesselless,
evergreen shrubs with
unisexual flowers having an
undifferentiated, spiral
perianth, numerous, laminar
stamens, and an apocarpous,
apically-open gynoecium, with
1-ovuled carpels.
Male flowers: P 5–8 A ∞.
Female flowers: P 5–8 G 5–6,
superior.
NYMPHALES
NYMPHACEAE
  Water lily family  Ovules: anatropous
 Aquatic with a milky latex often  Fruit: aggregate of follicles
present  Seeds: endospermous
 Stems: underground, rhizomatous
 Leaves: simple, often peltate,, The Illiciaceae are distinctive in
floating being evergreen trees or shrubs
 Inflorescence: solitary, emergent having aromatic oil cells, with
flower glabrous, spiral, pellucid-
 Flowers: bisexual, actinomorphic punctate, exstipulate leaves,
with long peduncles arising from the the flowers with numerous,
underground stem spiral tepals (outer sepal-like,
 Perianth: differentiated into calyx or inner petal-like), few-numerous
corolla stamens, and few-numerous,
 Calyx- 4-6 separate sepals one-seeded, apocarpous pistils
 Corolla- 8-many separate petals in a single whorl, the fruit a
 Stamens: numerous, spiral, follicetum.
apostemonous
 Gynoecium- is syncarpous with P ∞ [7–33] A ∞ [4–50] G ∞ [5–
either superior or inferior ovary 21], superior.
 Fruit- berry
MAGNOLIIDS
*The Nymphaeaceae are
distinguished from related families in LAURALES
being aquatic herbs with floating LAURACEAE
leaves and solitary, floating to
 Laurel family
emergent flowers with mostly spiral
 Tree or shrubs with
floral parts and petals grading into
aromatic oil glands
usually laminar stamens.
 Leaves: evergreen,
simple,
K 4–6 [–14] C 8–∞ [0] A ∞ G (3–∞),  Inflorescence: axillary
superior or inferior. cyme, rarely a solitary
flower
 Flowers: small, bisexual
AUSTROBAILEYALES or unisexual
 Perianth: 1-3 whorled
IILICIACEAE  Stamens: 3-12 or more
 Gynoecium: single
 Star anise family superior
 Consist of trees and shrubs with  Fruit:berry, drupe
aromatic oil cells
 Leaves: simple, spiral, evergreen The Lauraceae are
and glabrous distinguished in being
 Inflorescence: axillary or supra- perennial trees or
axillary,solitary flower or group of shrubs [rarely vines] with
2 or 3 flowers aromatic oil glands,
 Flowers: small, bisexual evergreeneaves, an
 Perianth: distinct tepals (7-33) undifferentiated
 Stamens: few to numerous (4- perianth, valvular
50) anther dehis- cence,
 Anthers: longitudinal dehiscence and a single, superior
 Gynoecium: separate (5- ovary having one ovule
21),superior ovary per carpel with apical
 Style: open placentation, seeds
 Placentation: Ventrally subbasal lacking endosperm.

P 3+3 [6, 2+2, or 3+3+3]
A 3–12+ G 1 [–(3)],
superior, rarely inferior,
hypanthium present.
PIPERALES
ARISTOLOCHIACEAE
 Birthwort family
 Hermaphroditic shrubs, vines
 Leaves: simple
 Inflorescence: solitary flower
or terminal or lateral racemes
 Flowers: bisexual,
actinomorphic
 Perianth: three lobed,
synsepalous
 Coralla: absent, of 3 petals
 Stamen: 6-40 free or fused
 Gynoecium: syncarpous,
inferior or half-inferior
The Aristolochiaceae are
distinguished in being usually
climbing plants, having an
enlarged, petaloid calyx, an
absent to reduced corolla,
often adnate stamens (forming
a gynostemium), and an
inferior to superior, 3–6-
carpeled and loculed ovary.
K (3) C 0 [3] A 6–∞, usu.
adnate to style G (3–6),
inferior, half-inferior, or
superior.
PIPERACEAE
 Pepper family
 Herbs, shrubs, vines and trees
 Leaves: spiral,simple, stipulate
 Inflorescence: spike or spadix
 Flowers: very small, bisexual or
unisexual
 Perianth: absent
 Stamens: 3+3 [1-10]
 Anthers: longitudinally dehiscent,
dithecal
 Gynoecium: single pistil with
superior ovary
 Style: absent or solitary
 Stigmas: 1 or 3-4
 Placentation: basal
 Ovules: orthotropous
 Fruit: 1-seeded berry or drupe
 Seeds: starchy perisperm
The Piperaceae are distinctive in
having an atactostelic stem, a
spike or spadix with numerous,
very small, unisexual or
bisexual flowers lacking a
perianth, the ovary solitary, 1-ovu-
late, the fruit a 1-seeded berry or
drupe.
P 0 A 3+3 [1–10] G 1 or (3,4),
superior.
SAURURACEAE
 Lizard’s tail family
 Perennial herbs
 Leaves: simple, spiral and stipulate
 Inflorescence: bracteates spike or
raceme
 Flowers: bisexual
 Perianth: absent
 Stamens: 3, 3+3, or 4+4, separate
 Gynoecium: syncarpous
 Styles: 3-5
 Placentation: parietal
 Ovules: orthotropous
 Fruit: apically dehiscent capsule
 Seeds: perispermous
MONOCOTYLEDONS
MONOCOT APOMORPHIES:
1. Sieve tube plastids
proteinaceous/ cuneate-
unknown adaptive significance
2. Vasculature atactostelic-
consists of two or more rings
appear to be randomly organized
but are actually highly complex,
NO MONOCOT HAS A TRUE
VASCULAR CAMBIUM
3. Leaf venation parallel
4. Cotyledon one

ACORALES
ACORACEAE
 Most basal monocot
 Sweet flag family
 Stems: rhizomatous
 Leaves: ensiform
 Inflorescence: terminal spadix
borne on a leaf like peduncle
 Flower: bisexual,
actinomorphic, sessile
 Perianth: biseriate, 3+3
distinct petals
 Stamens: biseriate, 3+3
apostemonous
 Anthers: longitudinal and
introse
 Gynoecium: syncarpous,
superior ovary, 2-3 carpels , 2-
3 locules
 Placentation: apical-axile
 Ovules: are numerous per
carpel
 Fruit: 1-5 [-9] seeded berry
The Acoraceae are distinctive
in being marsh plants with a
spadix and spathe
(resembling Araceae) but
having distichous, ensiform,
unifacial leaves,
perispermous and
endospermous seeds, and
ethereal oil cells, and in
lacking raphide crystals.
P 3+3 A 3+3 G (2–3) superior.
ALISMATALES
ARACEAE
 Arum family
 Terrestrial or aquatic shrubs
 Roots: mycorrhizal, without root
hairs
 Stems: rhizomatous, cormose,
tuberous
 Leaves: simple, bifacial
 Inflorescence: terminal, many
flowered spadix
 Flowers: small, bisexual or
unisexual, sessile
 Perianth: biseriate and 2+2 or
3+3 [4+4]
 Stamens: 4,6 or 8[1-12]
 Gynoecium: syncarpous,
superior ovary
 Fruit: multiple of berries
 Seeds:oily, endospermous,
fleshy seed coat
The Araceae are distinguished
from related families in having
bifacial leaves with parallel or
netted venation, usu- ally a
spadix of numerous, small
flowers with a subtending spathe,
endospermous seeds, and
raphide crystals
P 2+2,3+3,(2+2),(3+3) or 0
[4+4,(4+4)] A 4,6,8 or (4,6,8) [1–
12] G (3) [1–(∞)] superior.
LILIALES
LILIACEAE
 Lily family
 Perennial herbs
 Roots: Contractile
 Stems: Bulbous, rhizomatous
 Leaves: basal or cauline
 Inflorescence: terminal raceme, of
a solitary flower
 Flowers: bisexual, actinomorphic
 Perianth: biseriate and 3+3,
homochlamydeous
 Stamens: 3+3, whorled
 Anthers: peltately attached to the
filament
 Gynoecium: syncarpous, superior
ovary
 Style: solitary
 Stigmas: are 3-lobed or 3-crest
 Placentation: axile
 Fruit: loculicidal
 Seeds: flat discoid or ellipsoid
The Liliaceae are characterized in
being perennial, usually bulbous
herbs, lacking an onion-like odor,
with basal or cau- line leaves, the
inflorescence a raceme, umbel or
of solitary flowers with a superior
ovary.
P 3+3 A 3 G (3), superior.
ASPARAGALES
AGAVECEAE
 Agave family
 Perennial shrubs or subshrubs
 Stems: are a acaulescent caudex
 Leaves: parallelveined,
xeromorphic
 Inflorescence: panicle, raceme
 Flowers: bisexual
 Perianth: biseriate of 3+3 tepals
 Stamens: 6, distinct, filaments
long and thin to short and thick
 Anthers: dorsifixed, versatile
 Gynoecium: syncarpous with
superior or inferior ovary
 Style: solitary
 Stigmas: solitary or 3 lobed
 Placentation: axile
 Ovules: anatropous, bitegmic
 Nectaries: present
The Agavaceae are distinctive in
being perennial sub- shrubs to
branched trees with spiral,
xeromorphic, generally fibrous
leaves, trimerous hypogynous to
epigynous flowers, and possibly
apomorphic dimorphic
chromosomes (base number
with 5 long and 25 short
chromosomes).
P 3+3 A 6 G (3), superior or
inferior, hypanthium in some.
ALLIACEAE
 Onion family
 Biennial or perennial herbs
 Stems: acaulescent and usually a
bulb
 Leaves: simple, basal, spiral\
 Inflorescence: terminal, scapose
umbel
 Flowers: bisexual, actinomorphic,
pedicellate
 Perianth: biseriate, distinct to
connate tepals, a corona
sometimes present
 Stamens: 3+3 [rarely 3 or 2 with
staminodes]
 Anthers: versatile, longitudinal
and introrose
 Gynoecium: syncarpous,
superior ovary
 Style: solitary, terminal
 Stigma: solitary, trilobed
 Placentation: axile
 Ovules: campylotropous to
anatropous
 Septal nectaries: present
 Fruit: loculicidal capsule
 Seeds: black, ovoid, ellipsoid
The Alliaceae are distinctive in
being generally bulbous herbs,
with basal, usually narrow
leaves, an umbellate inflo-
rescence, and a usually superior
ovary.
P 3+3 A 3+3 [3,2] G (3), superior
[rarely half-inferior].
ASPHODELACEAE
 Aloe family
 Herbs
 Roots: succulent, with velamen
 Stems: anomalous secondary
growth
 Leaves: succulent, simple, spiral
 Inflorescence: raceme or panicle
 Flowers: bisexual, actinomorphic,
pedicellate
 Perianth: biseriate
 Stamens: 3+3, distinct
 Anthers: dorsifixed to basifixed
 Gynoecium: syncarpous, superior
ovary, 3 carpels and 3 locules
 Placentation: axile
 Ovules: 2 to numerous per carpel
 Septal nectaries: present
 Fruit: loculicidal capsule
 Seeds: aril present
The Asphodelaceae are
distinguished from related taxa in
being herbs or pachycaulous
trees with leaves usually
succulent, flowers trimerous with a
superior ovary, and the seeds
arillate.

P 3+3 or (3+3) A 3+3 G (3),
superior.
ORHCIDACEAE
 Orchid family
 Terrestrial or epiphytic
perennial herbs
 Roots: tuberous or aerial,
multilayered velamen
 Stems: rhizomatous in
terrestrial species, the epiphytic
species with pseudobulbs
 Inflorescence: raceme,
panicle,spike or solitary
 Flowers: bisexual, rarely
unisexual
 Perianth: biseriate, 3+3,
apotepalous or basally
syntepalous, with enlarge
saclike tepal.
 Labellum- inner median,
anterior tepal
 Stamen: solitary
 Gynostemium- androecium is
fused with the style and stigma
 Anthers: longitudinally or
modified in dehiscence
 Pollen: tetrad units but may be
monads
 Gynoecium: syncarpous,
inferior ovary
 Rostellum- single enlarged
lobed, component of the
gynostemium
 Placentation: parietal or axile
 Ovules: anatropous, bitegmic,
numerous per carpel
 Nectaries: present
 Fruit: loculicidal capsule rarely
a berry
 Seeds: membranous-winged
 Pollination: insect and birds,
also wind pollination
The Orchidaceae are distinctive
in consisting of mycorrhizal,
mostly perennial, terrestrial or
epiphytic herbs having
trimerous, often resupinate
flowers with a showy labellum,
the androecium and
gynoecium adnate (termed a
column, gynostegium, or
gynostemium), the pollen
grains often fused into 1–
several masses ( pollinia),
bearing a sticky-tipped stalk,
pollinia and stalk termed a
pollinarium, which is the unit
of pollen dispersal during
pollination.
P (3+3) A 1–3, when 1 a
pollinarium G (3), inferior, with
gynostemium.
COMMELINIDS
 Monophyletic assemblage of
monocots
 Characterized by an apparent
chemical apomorphy, the presence
of organic acids that impregnate
the cell walls.
 These acids are UV-fluorescent
ARECALES
ARACEAE
 Palm family
 Perennial trees
 Plant sex is variable
 Secondary growth is absent
 Roots: mycorrhizal, lacks root
hairs
 Stem: Arborescent, single
unbranced trunk
 Leaves: typically large, generally
terminal, spiral, pseudopetiole
 Inflorescence: axillary,
bracteates panicle or spike
 Flowers: unisexual or bisexual,
sessile
 Perianth: biseriate,
homochlamydous, 3+3 [0,2+2,
numerous]
 Stamens: 3+3 [3 or numerous]
 Anthers: longitudinal, rarely
poricidal in dehiscence
 Gynoecium: syncarpous or
apocarpous, with superior ovary
 Placentation: variable; ovules
are variable in type, bitegmic and
1 per locule
  Fruit: fleshy or fibrous, usually a
drupe or berry [rarely dehiscent or
pyrene]
 Seeds: 1 [-10]
The Arecaceae are distinctive in
having a rhizomatous, lianous, or
usually arborescent stem, with
large, sheathing, plicate leaves, a
fleshy, usually drupaceous fruit,
and seeds lacking starch. The
plicate leaf posture and
drupaceous fruit are likely
apomorphies for the family.
P 3+3 [0,2+2,∞] A 3+3 or (3+3)
[3,∞; 0 in female flowers] G 3 or
(3) [1,2,4–∞; 0 in male flowers],
superior.
ZINGIBERALES
 Commonly called gingers and
banana
 Monophyletic group of 8 families
APOMORPHIES OF ZINGIBERALES:
1. Leaves penni-parallel, with air
chambers
2. Superovulate ptyxis
3. Silica cells
4. Inferior ovary
MUSACEAE
 Banana family
 Monoecious, perennial herbs
 Stems: subterranean
 Leaves: large, basal, spiral,
sheathing, petiole (lacks in Ensete)
 Inflorescence: Terminal thyrse
 Flowers: ebracteate, unisexual
 Perianth: biseriate and
homochlamydeous, 3+3,
syntepalous
 Stamens: apostemonous
 Gynoecium: Syncarpous, inferior
ovary
 Fruit: berry
 Seeds: endospermous
The Musaceae are distinguished
from related families of the
Zingiberales in having a spiral leaf
arrangement and monoecious
plant sex.
P (3+3) A 5-6 G (3), inferior.
ZINGIBERACEAE
 Ginger family
 Perennial herbs
 Stems: rhizomatous and
sympodial
 Leaves: distichous, simple,
sheathing
 Inflorescence: bracteates spike,
raceme
 Flowers: bisexual, zygomorphic
 Perianth: biseriate and
homochlamydeous
 Stamens: 1 fertile
 Gynoecium: syncarpous, inferior
ovary, 3 carpels
 Ovules: anatropous, bitegmic,
numerous per carpel
 Fruit: dry or fleshy
 Seed: arillate, starch rich
The Zingiberaceae are
distinguished from related families
of the Zingiberales in having
distichous, usually ligulate
leaves with a single, dithecal
stamen and a petaloid labellum
derived from two staminodes.
P (3+3) A 1 fertile + 2 + (2)
petaloid staminodes G (3),
inferior.
CANNACEAE
 Canna-Lily family
 Perennial herbs
 Stems: rhizomatous and
sympodial
 Leaves: distichous
 Inflorescence: bracteates thyrse
 Flowers: bisexual, asymmetric,
epigynous
 Perianth: biseriate
 Stamens: 1 fertile
 Gynoecium: Syncarpous, inferior
ovary
 Fruit: capsule
 Seeds: starch rich endosperm
The Cannaceae are distinguished
from related families of the
Zingiberales in having usually
distichous leaves and flowers
with one petaloid, monothecal
stamen associated with 1–4 [5]
petaloid staminodes.
P 3+3 A 1, petaloid & monothecal
+ 1–4 petaloid stamin- odes G (3),
inferior.