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Order:
Dioscoreales
Life
> eukaryotes >
Archaeoplastida >
Chloroplastida
>
Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants)
> Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants)
> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants)
> Monocotyledons
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.
Families encountered in southern Africa
Taccaceae
Contains the single genus Tacca with about 12 species worldwide.
Not indigenous to southern Africa, but Tacca chantrieri (indigenous
to India and SE Asia) and Tacca leontopetaloides (Tahiti arrowroot -
indigenous to Old World tropics) are cultivated in the region. |
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Burmanniaceae
Nine genera and 95 species worldwide (mainly tropical regions). There is one species, Burmannia
madagascariensis, that is indigenous to southern Africa. |
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Dioscoreaceae (yam family)
About 870 species in four genera, occurring worldwide in warm
regions. Dioscorea (yams)
is the only genus occurring in southern Africa, with 16 species native to this
region. |
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Families not encountered in southern Africa
Nartheciaceae, Thismiaceae.
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