The Gesnerioideae are a subfamily of plants in the family

Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World (almost all Didymocarpoideae) and the New World (most Gesnerioideae), with ...

: based on the type genus ''

Gesneria ''Gesneria'' is a genus of approximately 50 species in the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae. Except for two or three odd South American species, all are native to islands of the Caribbean. The genus is classified in the tribe Gesnerieae alon ...

''. Although genera typically originate in the New World, some species have become widely distributed as ornamental plants.

Description

Gesnerioideae is one of two main subfamilies in the Gesneriaceae, the other being

Didymocarpoideae The Didymocarpoideae are a subfamily of plants in the family Gesneriaceae. It was formerly the subfamily Cyrtandroideae. This subfamily consists mostly of tropical and subtropical Old World genera, found in Africa, Asia and the Pacific. One spe ...

. (The third subfamily, Sanangoideae, contains only the genus ''

Sanango ''Sanango'' is a genus of flowering plants containing a single species, ''Sanango racemosum''. The genus was originally placed in family Loganiaceae but has since been variously placed in Scrophulariaceae, Gesneriaceae and Buddlejaceae. As of 201 ...

''.) Gesnerioideae seedlings have normal

cotyledon A cotyledon (; ; ; , gen. (), ) is a significant part of the embryo within the seed of a plant, and is defined as "the embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants, one or more of which are the first to appear from a germinating seed." The numb ...

s of the same size and shape (isocotylous), whereas the cotyledons of Didymocarpoideae are usually, but not always, eventually different in size and shape (anisocotylous). Gesnerioideae flowers usually have four fertile

stamen The stamen (plural ''stamina'' or ''stamens'') is the pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower. Collectively the stamens form the androecium., p. 10 Morphology and terminology A stamen typically consists of a stalk called the filame ...

s, rarely two or five. In other respects, Gesnerioideae species are very variable. The

ovary The ovary is an organ in the female reproductive system that produces an ovum. When released, this travels down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where it may become fertilized by a sperm. There is an ovary () found on each side of the body. ...

may be superior, semi-inferior or inferior, and the fruit takes various forms.

Taxonomy

The original use of the name for the subfamily is attributed to

Gilbert Thomas Burnett Gilbert Thomas Burnett (15 April 1800 – 27 July 1835) was a British botanist. Burnett was the first professor of botany at King's College London, from 1831 to 1835. He was the author of ''Outlines of Botany'' (1835), and ''Illustrations of Us ...

in 1835. Burnett divided his

circumscription Circumscription may refer to: *Circumscribed circle *Circumscription (logic) *Circumscription (taxonomy) * Circumscription theory, a theory about the origins of the political state in the history of human evolution proposed by the American anthrop ...

of the family Gesneriaceae into "Besleridae" and "Gesneridae". The latter was distinguished by having an inferior or semi-inferior

and the calyx adhering to the

gynoecium Gynoecium (; ) is most commonly used as a collective term for the parts of a flower that produce ovules and ultimately develop into the fruit and seeds. The gynoecium is the innermost whorl of a flower; it consists of (one or more) ''pistils'' ...

("germen"). However, Burnett's circumscription of the family and subfamilies was very different to the modern conception. He placed the "Didymocarpidae" (a name which corresponds to the modern Didymocarpoideae), not in Gesneriaceae, but in

Acanthaceae Acanthaceae is a family (the acanthus family) of dicotyledonous flowering plants containing almost 250 genera and about 2500 species. Most are tropical herbs, shrubs, or twining vines; some are epiphytes. Only a few species are distributed in te ...

. Since about 1997, phylogenetic studies, mostly based on molecular approaches, have resulted in major changes to the traditional taxonomy and classification of the family Gesneriaceae, at every level from genus upwards.

Tribes and genera

A classification published in 2020 divides the subfamily into five tribes. * Tribe Titanotricheae * '' Titanotrichum'' * Tribe Napeantheae * ''

Napeanthus ''Napeanthus'' is a genus of plant in family Gesneriaceae. It contains the following species (but this list may be incomplete): * '' Napeanthus ecuadorensis'', Fritsch Fritsch is a German surname. Like Fritsche, Fritzsch and Fritzsche, it is a ...

'' * Tribe Beslerieae * '' Anetanthus'' * ''

Besleria ''Besleria'' is a genus of ca. 200 species of large herbs and soft-stemmed subshrubs or shrubs in the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae. They occur in Central America, South America, and the West Indies. The closely related genus ''Gasteranthu ...

'' * '' Cremosperma'' * '' Cremospermopsis'' * ''

Gasteranthus ''Gasteranthus'' is a genus of 35 species of herbs and soft-stemmed subshrubs in the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae. The species occur in Central America and South America, from southernmost Mexico to Bolivia.Weber & Skog (2007) Numerous sp ...

'' * ''

Reldia ''Reldia'' is a genus of plants in the family Gesneriaceae. They are also in the Beslerieae tribe. They are native to Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panamá and Peru in South America. It contains the following species, according to Plants of the ...

'' * '' Resia'' * '' Shuaria'' * ''

Tylopsacas ''Tylopsacas'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae. Its native range is Northern South America. Species: * ''Tylopsacas cuneata'' (Gleason) Leeuwenb. References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q10385761 Gesnerioideae G ...

'' * Tribe Coronanthereae * '' Asteranthera'' * '' Coronanthera'' * ''

Depanthus ''Depanthus'' is a genus of shrubs in the family Gesneriaceae. The genus is endemic to New Caledonia in the Pacific and contains two species. It is related to ''Negria ''Negria'' is a plant genus in the family Gesneriaceae. Its only speci ...

'' * '' Fieldia'', including ''Lenbrassia'' * ''

Mitraria ''Mitraria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World ...

'' * ''

Negria ''Negria'' is a plant genus in the family Gesneriaceae. Its only species is ''Negria rhabdothamnoides'', commonly known as the pumpkin tree. It is related to '' Fieldia'' (syn. ''Lenbrassia'') and '' Depanthus''. Description The pumpkin tree ...

'' * ''

Rhabdothamnus ''Rhabdothamnus solandri'' is a small shrub of the family Gesneriaceae endemic to New Zealand. It is the only plant of the genus ''Rhabdothamnus'', and the only member of Gesneriaceae native to New Zealand. Its common names are New Zealand gloxin ...

'' * ''

Sarmienta ''Sarmienta scandens'', the Chilean pitcher flower, is a species of flowering plant, and the sole member of its genus within the family Gesneriaceae. It is native to the cool South Chilean rainforest, where it grows as an epiphyte. The Latin sp ...

'' * Tribe Gesnerieae * ''

Achimenes ''Achimenes'' is a genus of about 25 species of tropical and subtropical rhizomatous perennial herbs in the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae. They have a multitude of common names such as magic flowers, widow's tears, Cupid's bower, or hot wat ...

'' * ''

Alloplectus ''Alloplectus'' is a genus of Neotropical plants in the family Gesneriaceae. A recent revision of the genus includes five species, with the majority of species in the genus as traditionally circumscribed being transferred to ''Crantzia ''Crant ...

'' * ''

Alsobia ''Alsobia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae, native to Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. It contains four species. The species in the genus are succulent and stoloniferous herbs. They were previously included in the ge ...

'' * '' Amalophyllon'' * ''

Bellonia ''Bellonia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World ( ...

'' * ''

Centrosolenia ''Centrosolenia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae. Its native range is Northern South America to Northern Brazil. Species: *''Centrosolenia bryogeton'' *''Centrosolenia chimantensis'' *''Centrosolenia cocc ...

'' * '' Chautemsia'' * ''

Christopheria ''Christopheria'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae. Its native range is Northern South America. Species: * ''Christopheria xantha'' (Leeuwenb.) J.F.Sm. & J.L.Clark References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q1017476 ...

'' * ''

Chrysothemis In Greek mythology, Chrysothemis or Khrysothemis (; grc, Χρυσόθεμις, "golden law") is a name ascribed to several characters. ''Female:'' * Chrysothemis, may refer to known as the attributes of the golden harvest as an agricultural demi ...

'' * ''

Cobananthus ''Cobananthus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae, with a single species ''Cobananthus calochlamys''. It is sometimes included in the genus ''Alloplectus'', but Molecular phylogenetics, molecular phylogenetic studies sugge ...

'' * ''

Codonanthe ''Codonanthe'' is a genus of mainly epiphytic plants in the family Gesneriaceae, endemic to the Atlantic Forest of Brazil. The botanical name comes from the Ancient Greek for 'bellflower'. They have white or pale pink flowers and somewhat flesh ...

'' * ''

Codonanthopsis ''Codonanthopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae. Its native range is from southern Mexico through tropical America to Bolivia and most of Brazil. ''Codonanthopsis'' species are generally trailing epiphytes with pal ...

'' * ''

Columnea ''Columnea'' is a genus of around 200 species of epiphytic herbs and shrubs in the family Gesneriaceae, native to the tropics of the Americas and the Caribbean. The tubular or oddly shaped flowers are usually large and brightly colored – u ...

'' * ''

Corytoplectus ''Corytoplectus'' is a genus in the plant family Gesneriaceae. Plants from ''Corytoplectus'' are found in Bolivia, Brazil North, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Mexico Southwest, Peru, Venezuela, in the cloud-forests of the high cordillera. The genus ...

'' * ''

Crantzia ''Crantzia'' is a plant genus in the family Gesneriaceae. ''Crantzia'' species grow in damp or wet forests, mostly on Caribbean islands. Some are epiphytes, others are subshrubs or herbaceous plants with fibrous roots. Several taxa from the Ges ...

'' * '' Cremersia'' * ''

Diastema A diastema (plural diastemata, from Greek διάστημα, space) is a space or gap between two teeth. Many species of mammals have diastemata as a normal feature, most commonly between the incisors and molars. More colloquially, the condition ...

'' * ''

Drymonia ''Drymonia'' is a genus of moths of the family Notodontidae erected by Jacob Hübner in 1819. It consists of the following species: * ''Drymonia dodonaea'' (Denis & Schiffermüller, 1775) * ''Drymonia dodonides'' (Staudinger, 1887) * ''Drymonia ...

'' * ''

Episcia ''Episcia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the African violet family, Gesneriaceae. The ten species it contains are native to the tropical regions of Central and South America. The species are perennial herbaceous plants characterized by a sto ...

'' * '' Eucodonia'' * ''

'' * ''

Glossoloma ''Glossoloma'' is a genus of Neotropical plants in the family Gesneriaceae. The species in the genus were formerly placed in ''Alloplectus''. They are subshrubs with the leaves clustered at the ends of branches, and tubular flowers. Species Spe ...

'' * ''

Gloxinella ''Gloxinella'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae. It only contains one species, ''Gloxinella lindeniana'' (Regel) Roalson & Boggan It is native to Colombia. The genus name is in honour of Benjamin ...

'' * '' Gloxinia'' * ''

Gloxiniopsis ''Gloxiniopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of t ...

'' * '' Goyazia'' * '' Heppiella'' * ''

Kohleria ''Kohleria'' is a New World genus of the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae. The plants are generally tropical herbs or subshrubs with velvety stems and foliage and brightly colored flowers with spots or markings in contrasting colors. They are ...

'' * '' Lampadaria'' * '' Lembocarpus'' * '' Lesia'' * ''

Mandirola ''Mandirola'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae. It is native to Bolivia and Brazil. The genus name of ''Mandirola'' is in honour of Agostino Mandirola (d. 1661), Italian clergyman, naturalist and botanist with ...

'' * ''

Monopyle ''Monopyle'' is a genus of plants in the family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World (almost all ...

'' * '' Moussonia'' * ''

Nautilocalyx ''Nautilocalyx'' is a genus of plants in the family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World (almos ...

'' * ''

Nematanthus ''Nematanthus'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae. All of its species are endemic to Brazil. Compared to other gesneriads, ''Nematanthus'' has leaves that are small, succulent, and hard-surfaced. The plant has a trailing ...

'' * ''

Neomortonia ''Neomortonia'' is a monotypic genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae. It just contains one species, ''Neomortonia rosea'' Wiehler Its native range is Costa Rica to Ecuador. It is also found in Colombia and Panamá. The ...

'' * '' Niphaea'' * ''

Nomopyle ''Nomopyle'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the ...

'' * '' Oerstedina'' * ''

Pachycaulos ''Pachycaulos'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae. Its only species is ''Pachycaulos nummularia''. Its native range is Southeastern Mexico to Peru. Taxonomy The species was first described as ''Hypocyrta nummula ...

'' * '' Pagothyra'' * ''

Paliavana ''Paliavana'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the ...

'' * '' Paradrymonia'' * ''

Pearcea ''Pearcea'' is a genus of tropical herbaceous plants in the family Gesneriaceae native to western South America. It is classified in tribe Gloxinieae and is closely related to the genus ''Kohleria ''Kohleria'' is a New World genus of the flow ...

'' * ''

Pheidonocarpa ''Pheidonocarpa'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of ...

'' * ''

Phinaea ''Phinaea'' is a genus of plant in family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World (almost all Did ...

'' * '' Rhoogeton'' * ''

Rhytidophyllum ''Rhytidophyllum'' is a genus of plant in family Gesneriaceae, native to the Caribbean islands and northern South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a r ...

'' * '' Rufodorsia'' * '' Seemannia'' * ''

Sinningia ''Sinningia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae. It is named after Wilhelm Sinning (1792–1874), a gardener of the Botanische Gärten der Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn. There are about 65 species of tuberous her ...

'' * ''

Smithiantha ''Smithiantha'', sometimes referred to as temple bells, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae, endemic to southern Mexico, primarily in Oaxaca state. Species * ''Smithiantha amabilis'' (Decne.) Kuntze * ''Smithiantha cinnabar ...

'' * '' Solenophora'' * ''

Sphaerorrhiza ''Sphaerorrhiza'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of ...

'' * ''

Trichodrymonia ''Trichodrymonia'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Gesneriaceae. Its native range is southwestern Mexico to Venezuela and Peru. Species: * ''Trichodrymonia alata'' (Kriebel) M.M.Mora & J.L.Clark * ''Trichodrymonia alba'' ...

'' * ''

Vanhouttea ''Vanhouttea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the African violet family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics o ...

'' File:Achimenes cettoana in cultivation.jpg, '' Achimenes cettoana'' in cultivation File:Chrysothemis pulchella (Boltz Conservatory).JPG, '' Chrysothemis pulchella'' in cultivation File:Codonanthe macradenia kz01.jpg, '' Codonanthopsis macradenia'' in cultivation File:2006-11-06Columnea 14.jpg, ''

Columnea crassifolia ''Columnea crassifolia'' is a species of Gesneriaceae that is native to Honduras and Mexico. References External links

* * Columnea, crassifolia Plants described in 1844 Flora of Mexico Taxa named by Adolphe-Théodore Brongniart {{G ...

'' File:Gloxinia perennis 08.JPG, ''

Gloxinia perennis ''Gloxinia perennis'' is a species of tropical rhizomatous herbaceous flowering plant belonging to the family Gesneriaceae. It is sometimes known as "Canterbury bells" (not to be confused with members of the genus '' Campanula'', which go by the ...

'' File:Mitraria coccinea 1.jpg, ''

Mitraria coccinea ''Mitraria'' is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae Gesneriaceae, the gesneriad family, is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 152 genera and ca. 3,540 species in the tropics and subtropics of the Old World ...

'' File:Nematanthuswettsteinii1.jpg, '' Nematanthus wettsteinii'' File:Rhabdothamnus_solandri_11.JPG, ''

Rhabdothamnus solandri ''Rhabdothamnus solandri'' is a small shrub of the family Gesneriaceae endemic to New Zealand. It is the only plant of the genus ''Rhabdothamnus'', and the only member of Gesneriaceae native to New Zealand. Its common names are New Zealand gloxin ...

'' File:Sarmienta scandens (8625529802).jpg, '' Sarmienta scandens'' File:Sinningia speciosa-IMG 0659.JPG, ''

Sinningia speciosa ''Sinningia speciosa'', sometimes known in the horticultural trade as gloxinia, is a Tuber, tuberous member of the flowering plant native to Brazil within the family Gesneriaceae. Originally included in the genus ''Gloxinia (genus), Gloxinia'' i ...

'' File:Temple Bells (Smithiantha cinnabarina) (3104111584).jpg, ''

Smithiantha cinnabarina ''Smithiantha'', sometimes referred to as temple bells, is a genus of flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae, endemic to southern Mexico, primarily in Oaxaca state. Species * ''Smithiantha amabilis'' (Decne.) Kuntze * ''Smithiantha cinnabar ...

Distribution

With the exception of the genus '' Titanotrichum'', which is native to eastern Asia, all the species of the subfamily Gesnerioideae are native from

Central Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object. Central may also refer to: Directions and generalised locations * Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...

and

South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western Hemisphere and mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere at the northern tip of the continent. It can also be described as the southe ...

through the southwest

Pacific The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

References

External links

* * {{taxonbar, from=Q5879032 Flora of South America Gesnerioideae Plant subfamilies