Order: Amborellales

Contains a single species, Amborella trichopoda, endemic to the island of New Caledonia and not encountered in southern Africa.

Order: Nymphaeales

Contains two families: the Cabombaceae and the Nymphaeaceae (water lily family). There are eight genera and 64 species worldwide, with two genera and three species indigenous to southern Africa.

Order: Austrobaileyales

Contains three families: Austrobaileyaceae, Illiciaceae and Trimeniaceae, none of which has indigenous representatives in southern Africa. However, Illicium verum (Star anise) in the Illiciaceae, is cultivated in the region.

Order: Ceratophyllales

Contains a single family, the Ceratophyllaceae, containing a single genus Ceratophyllum. There are about six species, of which three are indigenous to southern Africa.

Order: Chloranthales

Contains a single family, the Chloranthaceae, which is not encountered in southern Africa.

magnoliids

Order: Magnoliales

There are a total of five families of which one, the Annonaceae, is indigenous to southern Africa. In addition the Magnoliaceae (magnolias) and Myristicaceae (includes Nutmeg tree) are cultivated in southern Africa.  Globally, there are about 154 genera and 2929 species of which eight genera and 14 species (all in Annonaceae) are indigenous to southern Africa.

Order: Laurales

There are seven families of which four are encountered in southern Africa. The Lauraceae is the most diverse in the region with four indigenous genera and 10 species (including Stinkwood) as well as important cultivated species such as Avocado, Cinnamon and Bay laurel (yielding bay leaves).

Order: Canellales

Nine genera and about 88 species in two families, Canellaceae and Winteraceae. Only one species is indigenous to southern Africa and there is also one species cultivated in the region.

Order: Piperales

This order contains four families, 17 genera and 2090 species, with three families, four genera and six species indigenous to southern Africa. An additional one species is naturalised and an additional 20 species are cultivated in the region. 

monocots

Order: Acorales

Contains a single family, the Acoraceae, containing a single genus, Acorus. This genus was previously placed in the Araceae. Acorus calamus (Sweet-flag) is cultivated in southern Africa.

Order: Alismatales

With the exception of the Araceae (arum lily family), all families of the Alismatales that occur in southern Africa, are either aquatic or marsh-inhabiting plants. Members of the Araceae are often found in marshy situations and some member are aquatic (those previously in the family Lemnaceae) but many species can be found far from water. There are 14 families, 166 genera and 4490 species in the order worldwide, of which 10 families, 25 genera and 57 species are indigenous to southern Africa. In addition, 3 genera and 3 species are naturalised, and 21 genera and 47 species are cultivated in the region.

Order: Petrosaviales

One family, Petrosaviaceae, not encountered in southern Africa.

Order: Dioscoreales

Three of the five families are encountered in southern Africa, Dioscoreaceae (yam family), being by far the largest. Worldwide there are about 21 genera and 1037 species, of which two genera and 17 species (mainly Dioscorea) are indigenous to southern Africa. In addition, one genus (Tacca) with two species is cultivated in the region.

Order: Pandanales

Two of the five families are indigenous to southern Africa. There are 36 genera and 1345 species worldwide of which three genera (Talbotia, Xerophyta and Pandanus), and 11 species are indigenous to southern Africa. An addition genus and two species are cultivated in the region.

Order: Liliales

Four of the eleven families are encountered in southern Africa but only two of them are indigenous. There are about 67 genera and 1558 species, of which 13 genera and 68 species are indigenous to southern Africa. An additional six genera and 17 species are cultivated in southern Africa.

Order: Asparagales 

Twenty-four families of which 17 are encountered in southern Africa. There are 1122 genera and 26071 species, of which 156 genera and 2849 species are indigenous to southern Africa. An additional three genera and six species are naturalised, and an additional 155 genera and 576 species are recorded as being cultivated in southern Africa.

commelinids

Unplaced

Includes only the Dasypogonaceae, which is not encountered in southern Africa.

Order: Arecales (palms)

The Arecaceae is the only family in the order. There are 189 genera and 2361 species (cosmopolitan, mainly warmer regions), with five genera and six species indigenous to southern Africa. An additional 103 genera and 276 species are cultivated in the region.

Order: Poales

Seventeen families of which 10 are encountered in southern Africa. There are 997 genera and 18325 species recorded worldwide, of which 230 genera and 1621 species are indigenous to southern Africa. An additional 33 genera and 129 species are naturalised, and an additional 43 genera and 344 species are recorded as being cultivated in southern Africa.

Order: Commelinales

Five families of which three are encountered in southern Africa. There are 68 genera and 812 species recorded worldwide, of which 12 genera and 51 species are indigenous to southern Africa. An additional two genera and two species are naturalised, and an additional six genera and 16 species are recorded as being cultivated in southern Africa.

Order: Zingiberales

Eight families of which seven are encountered in southern Africa. There are 92 genera and 2111 species recorded worldwide, of which three genera and eight species are indigenous to southern Africa. An additional two genera and four species are naturalised, and an additional 15 genera and 35 species are recorded as being cultivated in southern Africa.

eudicotyledons

Order: Ranunculales

Seven families, 199 genera and 4445 species, with 18 genera and 47 species indigenous to southern Africa, and four genera and six species naturalised. An additional 24 genera and 57 species are cultivated in the region.

Order: Sabiales

One family, Sabiaceae, not encountered in southern Africa.

Order: Proteales

Order: Trochodendrales

Order: Buxales

Order: Gunnerales

core eudicots

Order: Berberidopsidales

Order: Dilleniales

Order: Caryophyllales

Order: Santalales

Order: Saxifragales 

Order: Vitales

Vitaceae

rosids

Unplaced

Aphloiaceae, Ixerbaceae, Krameriaceae, Picramniaceae, Podostemaceae, Stachyuraceae, Staphyleaceae, Tristichaceae,

Order: Crossosomatales

Crossosomataceae

Order: Geraniales

eurosids I

Unplaced

Huaceae, Parnassiaceae, Lepuropetalaceae, Stackhousiaceae

Order: Zygophyllales

Zygophyllaceae

Order: Celastrales

Celastraceae

eurosids II

Order: Huerteales

Order: Brassicales

Order: Malvales

asterids

Order: Cornales

Order: Ericales

euasterid I

Unplaced

Boraginaceae (forget-me-not and borage family), Plocospermataceae, Vahliaceae, Icacinaceae

Order: Garryales

Order: Gentianales

Order: Lamiales 

There are 22 families, 1059 genera and 23275 species in this order.  It is defined mainly on the basis of genetic and biochemical information. Flowers of most species have only one plane of symmetry (ie. monosymmetric) and plants are usually herbaceous. Evidence suggests the Lamiales evolved about 97 to 74 years ago. (Angiosperm Phylogeny Website, Version 8).

Order: Solanales

euasterid II

Unplaced