The Alismatales (alismatids) are an order of flowering plants including about 4500 species. Plants assigned to this order are mostly tropical or aquatic. Some grow in fresh water, some in marine habitats.
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)).
11 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.
Alismataceae Family Alismataceae, (7 species)
Alisma Genus Alisma: Alisma plantago-aquatica L. not indigenous, invasive
Burnatia Genus Burnatia: Burnatia enneandra P.Micheli, indigenous
Echinodorus Genus Echinodorus: Echinodorus cordifolius (L.) Griseb. not indigenous, invasive Echinodorus tenellus (Mart. ex Schult.f.) Buchenau, not indigenous, invasive
Limnophyton Genus Limnophyton: Limnophyton obtusifolium (L.) Miq. indigenous
Sagittaria Genus Sagittaria: Sagittaria latifolia Willd. not indigenous, invasive Sagittaria platyphylla (Engelm.) J.G.Sm. not indigenous, cultivated. invasive
Aponogetonaceae Family Aponogetonaceae, (9 species)
Aponogeton Genus Aponogeton: Aponogeton angustifolius Aiton, endemic Aponogeton desertorum Zeyh. ex A.Spreng. indigenous Aponogeton distachyos L.f. endemic Aponogeton fugax J.C.Manning & Goldblatt, endemic Aponogeton junceus Lehm. indigenous Aponogeton junceus Lehm. subsp. natalense (Oliv.) Oberm. accepted as Aponogeton natalensis Oliv. Aponogeton junceus Lehm. subsp. rehmannii (Oliv.) Oberm. accepted as Aponogeton rehmannii Oliv. Aponogeton natalensis Oliv. endemic Aponogeton ranunculiflorus Jacot Guill. & Marais, indigenous Aponogeton rehmannii Oliv. indigenous Aponogeton stuhlmannii Engl. indigenous
Araceae Family Araceae,
Arum Genus Arum: Arum italicum Mill. not indigenous, cultivated, invasive
Colocasia Genus Colocasia: Colocasia antiquorum Schott var. esculenta Schott accepted as Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, not indigenous, invasive Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott, not indigenous, cultivated, invasive
Epipremnum Genus Epipremnum: Epipremnum aureum (Linden & Andre) G.S.Bunting, not indigenous, cultivated, invasive
Gonatopus Genus Gonatopus: Gonatopus angustus N.E.Br. indigenous Gonatopus boivinii (Decne.) Engl. indigenous
Monstera Genus Monstera: Monstera deliciosa Liebm. not indigenous, cultivated, invasive
Pistia Genus Pistia: Pistia stratiotes L. not indigenous, cultivated, invasive
Stylochaeton Genus Stylochaeton: Stylochaeton natalensis Schott, indigenous
Syngonium Genus Syngonium: Syngonium podophyllum Schott, not indigenous, cultivated, invasive
Zamioculcas Genus Zamioculcas: Zamioculcas zamiifolia (Lodd.) Engl. indigenous
Zantedeschia Genus Zantedeschia: Zantedeschia aethiopica (L.) Spreng. indigenous Zantedeschia albomaculata (Hook.) Baill. indigenous Zantedeschia albomaculata (Hook.) Baill. subsp. albomaculata indigenous Zantedeschia albomaculata (Hook.) Baill. subsp. macrocarpa (Engl.) Letty, indigenous Zantedeschia albomaculata (Hook.) Baill. subsp. valida Letty, accepted as Zantedeschia valida (Letty) Y.Singh Zantedeschia elliottiana (W.Watson) Engl. endemic Zantedeschia jucunda Letty, endemic Zantedeschia odorata P.L.Perry, endemic Zantedeschia pentlandii (R.Whyte ex W.Watson) Wittm. endemic Zantedeschia rehmannii Engl. indigenous Zantedeschia valida (Letty) Y.Singh, endemic
Cymodoceaceae Family Cymodoceaceae,
Halodule Genus Halodule: Halodule uninervis (Forssk.) Asch. indigenous
Thalassodendron Genus Thalassodendron: Thalassodendron ciliatum (Forssk.) Hartog, indigenous
Hydrocharitaceae Family Hydrocharitaceae,
Egeria Genus Egeria: Egeria densa Planch. not indigenous, invasive
Elodea Genus Elodea: Elodea canadensis Michx. not indigenous, invasive
Halophila Genus Halophila: Halophila ovalis (R.Br.) Hook.f.indigenous Halophila ovalis (R.Br.) Hook.f. subsp. ovalis indigenous
Hydrilla Genus Hydrilla: Hydrilla verticillata (L.f.) Royle, not indigenous, invasive
Lagarosiphon Genus Lagarosiphon: Lagarosiphon cordofanus Casp. indigenous Lagarosiphon major (Ridl.) Moss ex Wager, indigenous Lagarosiphon muscoides Harv. indigenous Lagarosiphon verticillifolius Oberm. indigenous
Najas Genus Najas: Najas graminea Delile, indigenous Najas graminea Delile, var. graminea, indigenous Najas horrida A.Braun ex Rendle, indigenous Najas marina L. ex Magnus, indigenous Najas marina L. ex Magnus subsp. armata (H.Lindb.) Horn, indigenous Najas setacea (A.Br.) Rendle, indigenous
Ottelia Genus Ottelia: Ottelia exserta (Ridl.) Dandy, indigenous Ottelia ulvifolia (Planch.) Walp. indigenous Ottelia vernayi Bremek. & Oberm. accepted as Ottelia ulvifolia (Planch.) Walp.
Vallisneria Genus Vallisneria: Vallisneria aethiopica Fenzl, accepted as Vallisneria spiralis L. Vallisneria spiralis L., indigenous
Juncaginaceae Family Juncaginaceae,
Triglochin Genus Triglochin: Triglochin buchenaui Kocke, Mering, Kadereit, indigenous Triglochin bulbosa L. indigenous Triglochin bulbosa L. subsp. bulbosa, endemic Triglochin bulbosa L. subsp. calcicola Mering, Kocke & Kadereit, indigenous Triglochin bulbosa L. subsp. quarcicola Mering, Kocke & Kadereit, endemic Triglochin bulbosa L. subsp. tenuifolia (Adamson) Horn, endemic Triglochin elongata Buchenau accepted as Triglochin bulbosa L. Triglochin milnei Horn, indigenous Triglochin striata Ruiz & Pav. indigenous
Lemnaceae Family Lemnaceae,
Lemna Genus Lemna: Lemna aequinoctialis Welw. indigenous Lemna gibba L. indigenous Lemna minor L. indigenous
Spirodela Genus Spirodela: Spirodela polyrhiza (L.) Schleid. indigenous Spirodela punctata (G.Mey.) C.H.Thomps. indigenous
Wolffia Genus Wolffia: Wolffia arrhiza (L.) Horkel ex Wimm. indigenous Wolffia globosa (Roxb.) Hartog & Plas, indigenous
Wolffiella Genus Wolffiella: Wolffiella denticulata (Hegelm.) Hegelm. endemic Wolffiella welwitschii (Hegelm.) Monod, indigenous
Limnocharitaceae Family Limnocharitaceae,
Hydrocleys Genus Hydrocleys: Hydrocleys nymphoides (Willd.) Buchenau, not indigenous, invasive
Tenagocharis Genus Tenagocharis: Tenagocharis latifolia (D.Don) Buchenau, accepted as Butomopsis latifolia (D.Don) Kunth
Potamogetonaceae Family Potamogetonaceae,
Althenia Genus Althenia: Althenia filiformis F.Petit, indigenous
Potamogeton Genus Potamogeton: Potamogeton crispus L. indigenous Potamogeton nodosus Poir. indigenous Potamogeton octandrus Poir. indigenous Potamogeton pectinatus L. indigenous Potamogeton pusillus L. indigenous Potamogeton richardii Solms, indigenous Potamogeton schweinfurthii A.Benn. indigenous Potamogeton subjavanicus Hagstr. accepted as Potamogeton pusillus L. Potamogeton thunbergii Cham. & Schltdl. accepted as Potamogeton nodosus Poir. indigenous Potamogeton trichoides Cham. & Schltdl. indigenous Potamogeton venosus A.Benn. accepted as Potamogeton schweinfurthii A.Benn.
Pseudoalthenia Genus Pseudoalthenia: Pseudoalthenia aschersoniana (Graebn.) Hartog, endemic
Zannichellia Genus Zannichellia: Zannichellia palustris L. indigenous
Ruppiaceae Family Ruppiaceae,
Ruppia Genus Ruppia: Ruppia cirrhosa (Petagna) Grande, indigenous Ruppia maritima L. indigenous
Zosteraceae Family Zosteraceae,
Nanozostera Genus Nanozostera: Nanozostera capensis (Setch.) Toml. & Posl. accepted as Zostera capensis Setch.
Zostera Genus Zostera: Zostera capensis Setch. indigenous
References