Achariaceae

Thirty genera and 145 species (pantropical), with six genera and six species native to southern Africa.

Chrysobalanaceae

Seventeen genera and about 460 species worldwide (lowland tropics and subtropics), with one genus and two species native to southern Africa. In addition, there are four genera and five that are cultivated in the region.

Clusiaceae / Guttiferae

Twenty-seven genera and about 1050 species (tropical) with one genus (Garcinia) and two species native to southern Africa. In addition, there are three species of Clusia cultivated in the region. 

Dichapetalaceae

There are three genera and about 165 species (tropics and subtropics), with two genera and three species native to southern Africa.

Elatinaceae

Two genera and thirty-five species (worldwide, mainly tropical). Both genera and 12 species are native to southern Africa.

Erythroxylaceae (Coca family)

There are four species and about 260 species worldwide (tropics, mainly America), of which two genera and six species are native to southern Africa. The Coca tree, Erythroxylum coca (which has been cultivated in southern Africa) yields the alkaloid cocaine, a narcotic drug used in medicine and illegal drug use.

Euphorbiaceae (Poinsettia and Cassava family)

There are 218 genera and about 5735 species in the Euphorbiaceae worldwide, of which 27 genera and 357 species are native to southern Africa, six genera and 22 species are naturalised, and a further 12 genera and 46 species are cultivated in the region.

Hypericaceae

Of the nine genera and 560 species distributed worldwide, one genus, Hypericum, occurs in southern Africa, where there are seven native, three naturalised and an additional 14 cultivated species. Hypericum was previously placed in the Clusiaceae.

Linaceae (Flax family)

There are 12 genera and about 300 species worldwide (cosmopolitan) of which two genera and 16 species are native to southern Africa, and a further one genus and six species are cultivated in the region.

Malpighiaceae

Sixty-eight genera and 1250 species worldwide (tropics and subtropics, mainly America), with three genera and four species native to southern Africa. An additional six genera and seven species are cultivated in the region.

Ochnaceae

Twenty-seven genera and 495 species (mainly pantropical), with two genera and 14 species native to southern Africa.

Passifloraceae (Granadilla family)

Sixteen genera and about 705 species worldwide, of which four genera and 21 species are native to southern Africa, and one genus (Passiflora) and seven species are naturalised in the region.

Peraceae

Five genera and 135 species with one genus (Clutia) and 33 species native to southern Africa.

Podostemaceae

Of the 48 genera and 270 species (mainly tropical), four genera, each with a single species, are native to southern Africa.

Phyllanthaceae

Fifty-nine genera and 1745 species (pantropical, especially Malesia), with 11 genera and 47 species native to southern Africa and an additional two genera and two species that are cultivated in the region. Members of this family were previously placed in the Euphorbiaceae.

Picrodendraceae

Twenty-four genera and about 80 species (tropical mainly), with two genera, each with a single species, native to southern Africa.

Putranjivaceae

Three genera and about 210 species (tropical, mainly Africa and Malesia), with one genus (Drypetes) and five species native to southern Africa. In addition, Putranjiva roxburghii (Tsuge-modoki), native from India to Burma, is cultivated in southern Africa.

Rhizophoraceae (mangrove family)

About 16 genera and 120 species worldwide (tropics and subtropics of Africa, Asia and America), of which four genera and eight species are native to southern Africa. Three of the four genera are found in mangrove forests. There are species in other families that also occur in mangrove forests.

Salicaceae (willow and poplar family)

Fifty-five genera and about 1010 species (worldwide), with 10 genera and 24 species native to southern Africa, a further one genus and seven species that are naturalised, and a further three genera and 28 species that are cultivated in the region. The family used to incude two genera (Salix and Populus - the willows and poplars) but based on genetic evidence mainly, the family now includes the majority of the genera that used to be placed in the Flacourtiaceae.

Turneraceae

Ten genera and about 205 species (tropical to warm temperate America and Africa, including Madagascar and Rodriguez Island), of which four genera and 10 species are native in southern Africa.

Violaceae (Pansy and Violet family)

Twenty-three genera and about 800 species worldwide (mainly tropical but the large Viola genus occurs predominantly in temperate regions), of which three genera and nine species are native to southern Africa, three species are naturalised, and an additional genus and eight species are cultivated in the region.