Acanthaceae (Black-eyed Susan family)

There are about 350 genera and 4350 species worldwide (mainly in the tropics and subtropics), with about 42 genera and 350 species in southern Africa.

Bignoniaceae (jacaranda family)

Worldwide, there are about 750 species and 109 genera in the family Bignoniaceae, with 13 species and 8 genera (including 2 naturalised) in southern Africa. In addition, there are many species from other parts of the world grown in gardens.

Calceolariaceae

Two genera and 260 species (South and Central America, New Zealand). About three species in the genus Calceolaria are cultivated in southern Africa. Members of this family were previously included under the Scrophulariaceae.

Gesneriaceae (African violet family)

About 139 genera and 2900 species, found patchily worldwide but mainly in the Old World (especially China). The only genus native to southern Africa is Streptocarpus.

Lamiaceae - Labiatae (mint, lavender, basil family)

This is a large family of about 252 genera and 6700 species worldwide, with 38 genera and 235 species indigenous or naturalised in southern Africa. There are many cullinary and medicinal herbs in this family.

Lentibulariaceae

Carnivorous plants, found in wet places. There are three genera and about 245 species (cosmopolitan), with two genera and about 19 species indigenous to southern Africa.

Linderniaceae

There are 13 genera and 195 species (pantropical to warm temperate, mainly New World), of which two genera and eight species are indigenous to southern Africa. These genera were previously placed in the Scrophulariaceae.

Martyniaceae

Five genera and 16 species (New World); two genera (Ibicella and Proboscidea) are naturalised in southern Africa.

Oleaceae (olive family)

There are 24 genera and 615 species worldwide (cosmopolitan but mainly East Asia), with five genera and 22 species indigenous to southern Africa. There are an additional nine exotic genera and 32 species cultivated in southern Africa. 

Orobanchaceae

There are 99 genera and 2061 species (nearly worldwide), with 14 genera and 84 species indigenous to southern Africa. There is an additional one genus and two species naturalised, and an additional two genera and two species cultivated in southern Africa. Members of the Orobanchaceae were previously included under the Scrophulariaceae.

Paulowniaceae

Contains a single genus, Paulownia, with six species, indigenous to East Asia, especially China. One species, Paulownia tomentosa (Empress tree) is cultivated in southern Africa. Paulownia was previously placed in the Scrophulariaceae.

Pedaliaceae (sesame family)

There are about 13 genera and 70 species worldwide (mainly tropics and subtropics) of which eight genera and 31 species are indigenous t o southern Africa, mainly in semi-arid regions.

Phrymaceae

About 19 genera and 234 species (worldwide), with one genus (Mimulus) and two species indigenous to southern Africa. A further four species of Mimulus are cultivated in southern Africa.

Plantaginaceae (plantains)

The Plantaginaceae used to be a relatively small family of about three genera and 255 species but recent studies have moved a large number of genera from the Scrophulariaceae into this family. It therefore now has about 90 genera and 1700 species, of which seven genera and 23 species are indigenous to southern Africa and five genera and 19 are naturalised. There are also an additional 15 genera and 45 species cultivated in the region.

Genus: Rehmannia

This genus was previoiusly placed either in the Gesneriaceae or Scrophulariaceae, but recent molecular work has made its placement difficult in any of the established families in the Lamiales. Hence, for the present, it is included here as an unplaced genus (see Angiosperm Phylogeny Website). There are about six species, indigenous to China and Korea. One species, Rehmannia elata, is cultivated in southern Africa.

Scrophulariaceae (snapdragon, foxglove family)

There are about 65 genera and 1700 species (cosmopolitan) of which 46 genera and 804 species are indigenous to southern Africa. There are also an additional two genera and two species naturalised and an additional 4 genera and 25 species cultivaed in this region.  From recent work on this family and related families, a large number of genera have been moved to other families in the Lamiales (mainly Plantaginaceae, Orobanchaceae and to a lesser extent Stilbaceae).

Stilbaceae

There are 11 genera and 39 species, mainly occurring in the fynbos of the Western Cape in South Africa but with some representatives distributed through Africa, Madagascar, the Mascarene Islands and southern Arabia. There are genera and species indigenous to southern Africa. From recent molecular studies, the genera Halleria, Charadrophila, Bowkeria, Anastrabe and Ixianthes have been moved to this family from the Scrophulariaceae and Nuxia has been moved from Loganiaceae to Buddlejaceae to its present home in the Stilbaceae.

Verbenaceae (teak, lantana family)

There are a total of 34 genera and 1175 species (worldwide), of which five genera and 30 species indigenous to southern Africa. An additional three genera and nine species have become naturalised in the region, and  an additional three genera and eight species are cultivated in southern Africa. A number of genera have been moved from the Verbenaceae to the Lamiaceae.