Caryophyllaceae (carnation family)

Caryophyllaceae (Carnation family)

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 > Order: Caryophyllales

About 80 genera and 2200 species (cosmopolitan but mainly north temperate regions, especially Mediterranean and Irano-Turanean region), of which 11 genera (54 species) are indigenous and 11 genera (18 species) naturalised in southern Africa.

Genera native or naturalised (*) in southern Africa

Information from Jordaan (2000).

* Agrostemma Two species (Mediterranean and temperate Eurasia), of which one, Agrostemma githago (Corn-cockle), has become naturalised in southern Africa and is a weed in fields.
* Arenaria About 150 species (mainly N temperate regions), of which two have become naturalised in southern Africa.
Cerastium About 100 species (almost cosmopolitan but mainly N temperate regions of the Old World), of which five are indigenous in southern Africa.
Corrigiola Eleven species (mainly Europe, Africa and Chile), of which one, Corrigiola litoralis, has a cosmopolitan distribution that includes southern Africa.
Dianthus (carnation genus) About 300 species (Europe, Asia, Africa), of which 15 are indigenous in southern Africa. The genus includes the Carnation Dianthus caryophyllus, which probably originates from the Mediterranean and is widely cultivated for its flowers.
Drymaria About 48 species (mainly Americas) of which one, Drymaria cordata, has a pantropical distribution that includes southern Africa.
Herniaria About 47 species (Eurasia, Canary Islands and Africa), of which five are indigenous in southern Africa.
* Holosteum About three species (temperate Eurasia plus one in Ethiopia), of which one, Holosteum umbellatum, has become naturalised in southern Africa.
Krauseola The two species have a tropical East African distribution, with one, Krauseola mosambicina, extending into Mozambique and northern KwaZulu-Natal.
* Moenchia Three species (Europe, Mediterranean), of which one, Moenchia erecta, has become naturalised in southern Africa (Western Cape).
* Paronychia About 110 species (indigenous distribution nearly cosmopolitan but not southern Africa or SE Asia), of which one, Paronychia brasiliana, has been introduced to southern Africa from South America and is a troublesome weed in lawns.
* Petrorhagia Twenty-eight species (Canary Islands, Europe, Mediterranean through to Kasmir), of which one, Petrorhagia prolifera, has become naturalised in southern Africa (southern Cape).
Pollichia One species: Pollichia campestris, with a distribution that extends from the Arabian Peninsula, through East Africa and into southern Africa.
Polycarpaea About 50 species (tropics and subtropics), of which two are indigenous and one is naturalised in southern Africa
Polycarpon About 16 species (mainly Europe and Mediterranean but also South America and southern Africa), of which two, Polycarpon prostratum and Polycarpon tetraphyllum, have wide distributions that include southern Africa.
* Sagina About 30 species (nearly cosmopolitan but not indigenous in southern Africa), of which two, Sagina apetala and Sagina maritima, are naturalised in southern Africa, where they are found as tiny weeds in lawns.
* Scleranthus About 10 species (temperate Eurasia, Mediterranean, Ethiopia and Australasia), of which one, Scleranthus annuus, was introduced to southern Africa before 1900 and has become a problem weed in wheat and lucerne fields.
Silene (Campion genus) About 700 species (Eurasia, Africa and North America), of which 16 are indigenous and three naturalised in southern Africa.
* Spergula Six species (temperate Eurasia), of which one, Spergula arvensis, is a cosmopolitan weed that has been introduced to southern Africa.
Spergularia About 25 species (cosmopolitan), of which four are indigenous in southern Africa.
* Stellaria About 150-200 species (mainly Eurasia but also Afromontane Africa, none indigenous in southern Africa), of which three have been introduced to southern Africa and are widespread weeds associated with cultivation.
* Vaccaria One or four species (depending on interpretation - indigenous to Eurasia), of which one, Vaccaria hispanica, has been introduced to southern Africa.

Other genera, cultivated in southern Africa

Information from Glen (2002).

Lychnis

Four species cultivated in southern Africa.

Gypsophila

Two species cultivated in southern Africa.

Saponaria (Soapwort genus)

Three species cultivated in southern Africa.

Soapwort Saponaria officinalis in the Company Gardens, Cape Town. Originates from Europe.

Publications

Glen, H.F. 2002. Cultivated plants of southern Africa. Jacana, Johannesburg.
Jordaan, M. 2000. Caryophyllaceae. In: Seed Plants of Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 206-213). National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.