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Order: Santalales

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) >  Eudicotyledons >  Core eudicots

Eight families of which four are encountered in southern Africa. Includes many species that are root parasites. Twenty-three genera and 249 species are native to southern Africa and a further species in another genus is cultivated in the region.

Families encountered in southern Africa

Balanophoraceae

Seventeen genera and about 50 species, mainly tropical, and all root parasites without chlorophyl. Two species native to southern Africa : Mystropetalon thomii and Sarcophyte sanguinea.

 

Olacaceae

Fourteen genera and about 103 species, distributed mainly in the tropics, with two genera and three species native to southern Africa .

 

Loranthaceae

Parasitic plants with green leaves that anchor themselves to the host plant with suckers that are thought to be modified adventitious roots.Native mainly to tropical and south temperate regions of the World. There are about 68 genera and 950 species, with 13 genera and about 38 species native to southern Africa.

 

Santalaceae (sandalwood family)

About 44 genera and 990 species worldwide, occurring in subtropical and temperate regions. Six genera and 206 species are native to southern Africa and a further species in anothe genus is cultivated in southern Africa.

 

Families not encountered in southern Africa: Erythropalaceae, Opiliaceae, Misodendraceae, Schoepfiaceae

 


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