Colchicaceae is a
family
Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...
of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
s that includes 15 genera with a total of about 285 known species according to Christenhusz and Byng in 2016.
Description
The family is characterized by the presence of
colchicine
Colchicine is a medication used to treat gout and Behçet's disease. In gout, it is less preferred to NSAIDs or steroids. Other uses for colchicine include the management of pericarditis and familial Mediterranean fever. Colchicine is taken ...
.
Taxonomy
The
APG III system
The APG III system of flowering plant classification is the third version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy being developed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG). Published in 2009, it was superseded in 2016 by a fur ...
, of 2009 (unchanged from the
APG system
The APG system (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group system) of plant classification is the first version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy. Published in 1998 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group, it was replaced by the improved AP ...
s, of 1998 and 2003), recognizes this family and places it in the order
Liliales
Liliales is an order of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group and Angiosperm Phylogeny Web system, within the lilioid monocots. This order of necessity includes the family Liliaceae. The APG III system (2009) place ...
, in the clade
monocots
Monocotyledons (), commonly referred to as monocots, (Lilianae ''sensu'' Chase & Reveal) are grass and grass-like flowering plants (angiosperms), the seeds of which typically contain only one embryonic leaf, or cotyledon. They constitute one of t ...
.
[ It is a group of herbaceous perennials with ]rhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome (; , ) is a modified subterranean plant stem that sends out roots and shoots from its nodes. Rhizomes are also called creeping rootstalks or just rootstalks. Rhizomes develop from axillary buds and grow hori ...
s or corm
A corm, bulbo-tuber, or bulbotuber is a short, vertical, swollen underground plant stem that serves as a storage organ that some plants use to survive winter or other adverse conditions such as summer drought and heat (perennation).
The word ' ...
s.
The Dahlgren system
One of the modern systems of plant taxonomy, the Dahlgren system was published by monocot specialist Rolf Dahlgren in 1975 and revised in 1977, and 1980. However, he is best known for his two treatises on monocotyledons in 1982 and revised in 19 ...
and the Thorne system (1992) A system of plant taxonomy, the Thorne system of plant classification was devised by the American botanist Robert F. Thorne (1920–2015) in 1968, and he continued to issue revisions over many years (1968–2007).
Some versions of the system are ...
also recognized this family, and placed it in order Liliales
Liliales is an order of monocotyledonous flowering plants in the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group and Angiosperm Phylogeny Web system, within the lilioid monocots. This order of necessity includes the family Liliaceae. The APG III system (2009) place ...
in superorder Lilianae
Lilianae (also known as Liliiflorae) is a botanical name for a superorder (that is, a rank higher than that of order) of flowering plants. Such a superorder of necessity includes the type family Liliaceae (and usually the type order Liliales). ...
in subclass Liliidae
Liliidae is a botanical name at the rank of subclass. Circumscription of the subclass will vary with the taxonomic system being used (there are many such systems); the only requirement being that it includes the family Liliaceae.
Liliidae in Tak ...
(monocotyledons) of class Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida is a valid botanical name for a class of flowering plants. By definition the class will include the family Magnoliaceae, but its circumscription can otherwise vary, being more inclusive or less inclusive depending upon the classific ...
(angiosperms).
Genera
The following is an alphabetic list of genera usually included in this family :
The phylogenetic classification of Vinnersten & Manning circumscribes the family as follows:
* tribe Burchardieae
** ''Burchardia
''Burchardia'' is a genus of herbs that are endemic to Australia. The genus is named for Johann Heinrich Burkhardt, a German botanist.
; Species
* '' Burchardia bairdiae'' Keighery
* '' Burchardia congesta'' Lindl.
* '' Burchardia monant ...
'' R.Br.
* tribe Uvularieae
** ''Disporum
''Disporum'' (commonly known as fairy bells) is a genus of about 20 species of perennial flowering plants, found in Asia from northern India to Japan, south to Indonesia and north into the Russian Far East.
Taxonomy
'' Disporum pullum'', from ...
'' Salisb. (excluding the North American species to the genus ''Prosartes
''Prosartes'', the fairybells, is a North American genus of flowering plants in the lily family.
For several decades plants of this genus were considered part of the otherwise Asian genus ''Disporum''. Studies of morphology and cytology, as we ...
'' D.Don, now in the family Liliaceae, Liliales)
** ''Uvularia
''Uvularia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Colchicaceae, which is closely related to the lily family (Liliaceae). They are commonly called bellworts, bellflowers or merrybells. The genus name is derived from the Latin ''ūvula'' me ...
'' L.
* tribe Tripladenieae
** ''Kuntheria
''Kuntheria'' is a plant genus related to ''Schelhammera''. It contains one species, ''Kuntheria pedunculata'' (F.Muell.) Conran & Clifford, endemic to Queensland, Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a so ...
'' Conran & Clifford
** ''Schelhammera
''Schelhammera'' is a genus of perennial flowering plants in the family Colchicaceae, comprising two species.
*'' Schelhammera undulata'' R.Br., native to New South Wales and Victoria
*'' Schelhammera multiflora'' R.Br., native to Queensland, Ne ...
'' R.Br.
** ''Tripladenia
''Tripladenia'' is a monotypic genus of plants in the family Colchicaceae. The sole species is ''Tripladenia cunninghamii'' which is native to New South Wales and Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Austral ...
'' D.Don
* tribe Iphigenieae
** ''Camptorrhiza
''Camptorrhiza'' is a genus of plants native to India and southern Africa. It contains two recognized species:
*'' Camptorrhiza indica'' S.R.Yadav, N.P.Singh & B.Mathew - Maharashtra
*'' Camptorrhiza strumosa'' ( Baker) Oberm. - South Africa, ...
'' E.Phillips
** ''Iphigenia
In Greek mythology, Iphigenia (; grc, Ἰφιγένεια, , ) was a daughter of King Agamemnon and Queen Clytemnestra, and thus a princess of Mycenae.
In the story, Agamemnon offends the goddess Artemis on his way to the Trojan War by hunting ...
'' Kunth
* tribe Anguillarieae
** ''Baeometra
''Baeometra'' is a genus in the family Colchicaceae containing a single species, ''Baeometra uniflora''. It is native to South Africa, where it is commonly called beetle lily due to the dark markings on the tepals. The genus was erected when the ...
'' Salisb.
** ''Wurmbea
''Wurmbea'' is a genus of perennial herbs in the family Colchicaceae, native to Africa and Australia. There are about 50 species, with about half endemic to each continent.
Recently the circumscription of the genus ''Wurmbea'' has been increa ...
'' Thunb. (including ''Neodregea'' C.H.Wright and ''Onixotis'' Raf.)
* tribe Colchiceae
** ''Colchicum
''Colchicum'' ( or ) is a genus of perennial flowering plants containing around 160 species which grow from bulb-like corms. It is a member of the botanical family Colchicaceae, and is native to West Asia, Europe, parts of the Mediterranean coas ...
'' L. (including ''Androcymbium'' Willd., ''Bulbocodium'' L. and ''Merendera'' Ramond)
** '' Gloriosa'' L. (including ''Littonia'' Hook.)
** ''Hexacyrtis
''Hexacyrtis'', common name Namib lily, is a plant genus native to Namibia and South Africa but cultivated elsewhere as an ornamental plant. At present (April 2014) only one species is recognized: ''Hexacyrtis dickiana'' Dinter. It bears an umbe ...
'' Dinter
** ''Ornithoglossum
''Ornithoglossum'' is a genus of plants native to southern Africa, some of which are widely cultivated as ornamentals. Nine species are currently recognized, as of April 2014:Salisbury, Richard Anthony. 1806. Paradisus Londonensis : or Coloured ...
'' Salisb.
** ''Sandersonia
''Sandersonia'' is a monotypic genus of rhizomatous plant, belonging to the family Colchicaceae, the single species ''Sandersonia aurantiaca'' being native to South Africa (the Cape Provinces, KwaZulu-Natal and the Northern Provinces) and Eswatin ...
'' Hook.
The genus ''Petermannia'' F.Muell. is excluded from this family and placed in its own family Petermanniaceae, Liliales. The former controversy regarding the inclusion of ''Androcymbium
''Colchicum'' ( or ) is a genus of perennial flowering plants containing around 160 species which grow from bulb-like corms. It is a member of the botanical family Colchicaceae, and is native to West Asia, Europe, parts of the Mediterranean coas ...
'' in ''Colchicum
''Colchicum'' ( or ) is a genus of perennial flowering plants containing around 160 species which grow from bulb-like corms. It is a member of the botanical family Colchicaceae, and is native to West Asia, Europe, parts of the Mediterranean coas ...
'' has now been resolved in favor of the 2007 classification of Manning ''et al.'' who included ''Androcymbium'' in ''Colchicum''. This is supported by molecular phylogenetic studies with dense species sampling (i.e. 41 species previously placed in ''Androcymbium'' and 96 species of ''Colchicum'') that showed that the type species of ''Androcymbium'', ''A. melanthioides'' ('' Colchicum melanthioides''), is more closely related to species of ''Colchicum'' than it is to many species traditionally placed in ''Androcymbium''.
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
External links
*
Colchicaceae
in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards).
The families of flowering plants
descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval.'' Version
Archived version, 9 March 2006images at PlantSystematics.orglinks at CSDL, Texas
{{Taxonbar, from=Q186181
Liliales families