Amaranthaceae
From Free net encyclopedia
{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Amaranth family
| image = A_splendens.jpg
| image_width = 220px
| image_caption = Achyranthes splendens var. rotundata
| regnum = Plantae
| divisio = Magnoliophyta
| classis = Magnoliopsida
| ordo = Caryophyllales
| familia = Amaranthaceae
| type_genus = Amaranthus
| type_genus_authority= L.
| subdivision_ranks = Subfamilies
| subdivision =
Amaranthoideae
Chenopodioideae
Gomphrenoideae
Salicornioideae
Salsoloideae
}}
The family Amaranthaceae, the Amaranth family, is a taxon of dicotyledon flowering plants included among the Caryophyllales and containing about 160 genera and 2,400 species.
Most of these species are herbs or subshrubs; very few are trees or climbers. This is a widespread and cosmopolitan family found mostly in subtropical and tropical regions, yet a few species are native to cool temperate regions. Most species occur in tropical Africa and North America. Some species are considered weeds, but a number of others are popular garden ornamental plants, especially species from Alternanthera, Amaranthus, Celosia, and Iresine. Notable members include amaranth and tumbleweeds. Many of the species are halophytes, growing in salty soils.
Modern genetics-based classification schemes, such as that of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, include the family Chenopodiaceae in the Amaranthaceae as the subfamily Chenopodioideae. Well-known chenopodioid species include beet, goosefoot, quinoa, and spinach. The main differences between Amaranthaceae and Chenopodiaceae are membraneous petals and stamens often united in a ring structure. Prior to the incorporation of Chenopodiaceae, the older narrow circumscription of Amaranthaceae contained only about 65 genera and 900 species.
They form together the monophyletic group with most species in the order Caryophyllales.
The leaves are simple, opposite or alternate, their margins entire or coarsely toothed, and without stipules. In most cases, there are neither basal or terminal aggregations of leaves.
The flowers are solitary or aggregated in cymes, spikes, or panicles and typically perfect (bisexual) and actinomorphic. A few species have unisexual flowers. The bracteate flowers are regular with 4-5 petals, often joined. There are 1-5 stamens. The hypogynous ovary has 3-5 joined sepals.
The fruit can be an utricle, nut, or circumscissile capsule, rarely a berry.
Reference
- Kai Müller and Thomas Borsch - Phylogenetics of Amaranthaceae based on matK/trnK sequence data - Evidence from parsimony, likelihood and Bayesian analyses ; Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden: Vol. 92, No. 1, pp. 66–102.da:Amarant-familien
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