Proteales is an
order 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 consisting of three (or four) families. The Proteales have been recognized by almost all taxonomists.
The representatives of the Proteales are very different from each other. The order contains plants that do not look alike at all. What they have in common is seeds with little or no endosperm. The ovules are often
atropic.
Families
In the classification system of
Dahlgren the Proteales were in the
superorder
Order ( la, ordo) is one of the eight major hierarchical taxonomic ranks in Linnaean taxonomy. It is classified between family and class. In biological classification, the order is a taxonomic rank used in the classification of organisms and ...
Proteiflorae (also called Proteanae). The
APG II system
The APG II system (Angiosperm Phylogeny Group II system) of plant classification is the second, now obsolete, version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy that was published in April 2003 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Gro ...
of 2003 also recognizes this order, and places it in the clade
eudicots
The eudicots, Eudicotidae, or eudicotyledons are a clade of flowering plants mainly characterized by having two seed leaves upon germination. The term derives from Dicotyledons.
Traditionally they were called tricolpates or non-magnoliid dico ...
with this circumscription:
* order Proteales
:* family
Nelumbonaceae
Nelumbonaceae is a family of aquatic flowering plants. ''Nelumbo'' is the sole extant genus, containing ''Nelumbo lutea'', native to North America, and ''Nelumbo nucifera'', widespread in Asia. At least four other genera, ''Nelumbites'', ''Exne ...
:* family
Proteaceae
The Proteaceae form a family of flowering plants predominantly distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises 83 genera with about 1,660 known species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae, they make up the order Pro ...
_family_Platanaceae.html" ;"title="Platanaceae.html" ;"title=" family Platanaceae"> family Platanaceae">Platanaceae.html" ;"title=" family Platanaceae"> family Platanaceae
with "+ ..." = optionally separate family (that may be split off from the preceding family).
The APG III system of 2009 followed this same approach, but favored the narrower circumscription of the three families, firmly recognizing three families in Proteales: Nelumbonaceae, Platanaceae, and Proteaceae.
The
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website
The Angiosperm Phylogeny Website (or APweb) is a website dedicated to research on angiosperm phylogeny and taxonomy.
The site is hosted by the Missouri Botanical Garden website and maintained by researchers, Peter F. Stevens and Hilary M. Davis ...
, however, suggests the addition of
Sabiaceae
Sabiaceae is a family of flowering plants that were placed in the order Proteales according to the APG IV system. It comprises three genera, ''Meliosma'', ''Ophiocaryon'' and '' Sabia'', with 66 known species, native to tropical to warm temperat ...
, which the APG III system did not place in any order in the eudicots, would be sensible.
[Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards)]
Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.
Version 12, July 2012 nd more or less continuously updated sincebr>Proteales.
Accessed online: 9 June 2013.
The
APG IV system
The APG IV system of flowering plant classification is the fourth version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy for flowering plants (angiosperms) being developed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG). It was publishe ...
of 2016 added family
Sabiaceae
Sabiaceae is a family of flowering plants that were placed in the order Proteales according to the APG IV system. It comprises three genera, ''Meliosma'', ''Ophiocaryon'' and '' Sabia'', with 66 known species, native to tropical to warm temperat ...
to the order.
Well-known members of the Proteales include the
protea
''Protea'' () is a genus of South African flowering plants, also called sugarbushes (Afrikaans: ''suikerbos'').
Etymology
The genus ''Protea'' was named in 1735 by Carl Linnaeus, possibly after the Greek god Proteus, who could change his form a ...
s of South Africa, the
banksia
''Banksia'' is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes, and fruiting "cones" and heads. ''Banksias'' range i ...
s and
macadamia
''Macadamia'' is a genus of four species of trees in the flowering plant family Proteaceae. They are indigenous to Australia, native to northeastern New South Wales and central and southeastern Queensland specifically. Two species of the genus ...
s of Australia, the
planetree, and the
sacred lotus. The origins of the order are clearly ancient, with evidence of diversification in the mid-
Cretaceous
The Cretaceous ( ) is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of th ...
, over 100 million years ago. Of interest are the current family distributions, with the Proteaceae a mostly Southern Hemisphere family, while the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae are Northern Hemisphere plants.
Classification
The current
APG IV
The APG IV system of flowering plant classification is the fourth version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy for flowering plants (angiosperms) being developed by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG). It was publishe ...
classification represents a slight change from the
APG I system of 1998, which firmly did accept family Platanaceae as being separate from the order. Under APG IV, this is the current circumscription of the order:
* order Proteales
:* family
Nelumbonaceae
Nelumbonaceae is a family of aquatic flowering plants. ''Nelumbo'' is the sole extant genus, containing ''Nelumbo lutea'', native to North America, and ''Nelumbo nucifera'', widespread in Asia. At least four other genera, ''Nelumbites'', ''Exne ...
:* family
Platanaceae
Platanaceae, the "plane-tree family", is a family of flowering plants in the order Proteales. The family consists of only a single extant genus ''Platanus'', with eight known species. The plants are tall trees, native to temperate and subtropic ...
:* family
Proteaceae
The Proteaceae form a family of flowering plants predominantly distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises 83 genera with about 1,660 known species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae, they make up the order Pro ...
:* family
Sabiaceae
Sabiaceae is a family of flowering plants that were placed in the order Proteales according to the APG IV system. It comprises three genera, ''Meliosma'', ''Ophiocaryon'' and '' Sabia'', with 66 known species, native to tropical to warm temperat ...
Cronquist
The
Cronquist system
The Cronquist system is a taxonomic classification system of flowering plants. It was developed by Arthur Cronquist in a series of monographs and texts, including ''The Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants'' (1968; 2nd edition, 1988) a ...
of 1981 recognized such an order and placed it in subclass
Rosidae
Under the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN), Rosidae is a botanical name at the rank of subclass. Circumscription of the subclass will vary with the taxonomic system being used; the only requirement being tha ...
in 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 ...
dicotyledons.html" ;"title="dicotyledon.html" ;"title="dicotyledon">dicotyledons">dicotyledon.html" ;"title="dicotyledon">dicotyledons It used this circumscription:
* order Proteales
:* family Elaeagnaceae
:* family
Proteaceae
The Proteaceae form a family of flowering plants predominantly distributed in the Southern Hemisphere. The family comprises 83 genera with about 1,660 known species. Together with the Platanaceae and Nelumbonaceae, they make up the order Pro ...
Dahlgren; Thorne; Engler; and Wettstein
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
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 ...
recognized such an order and placed it in superorder
Proteanae
Proteales is an order of flowering plants consisting of three (or four) families. The Proteales have been recognized by almost all taxonomists.
The representatives of the Proteales are very different from each other. The order contains plants ...
in subclass
Magnoliidae dicotyledons
The dicotyledons, also known as dicots (or, more rarely, dicotyls), are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants (angiosperms) were formerly divided. The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group: namely, t ...
The
Engler system
One of the prime systems of plant taxonomy, the Engler system was devised by Adolf Engler (1844–1930), and is featured in two major taxonomic texts he authored or co-authored. His influence is reflected in the use of the terms "Engler School" an ...
, in its
update of 1964, also recognized this order and placed it in subclass
Archichlamydeae
Polypetalae was a taxonomic grouping used in the identification of plants, but it is now considered to be an artificial group, one that does not reflect evolutionary history. The grouping was based on similar morphological plant characteristics. ...
of class
Dicotyledoneae
The dicotyledons, also known as dicots (or, more rarely, dicotyls), are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants (angiosperms) were formerly divided. The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group: namely, t ...
. The
Wettstein system A system of plant taxonomy, the Wettstein system recognised the following main groups, according to Richard Wettstein's ''Handbuch der Systematischen Botanik'' (1901–1924).
3rd edition (1924)
Outline
Synopsis
* Flagellatae p. 65
* ...
, last revised in 1935, recognized this order and placed it in the
Monochlamydeae in subclass
Choripetalae
Choripetalae Eichler (1876), is a descriptive botanical name used in the Eichler and Wettstein systems for a group of flowering plants. It was one of two groups within the Dicotyledones, the other being the Sympetalae. The latter have fused pet ...
of class
Dicotyledones
The dicotyledons, also known as dicots (or, more rarely, dicotyls), are one of the two groups into which all the flowering plants (angiosperms) were formerly divided. The name refers to one of the typical characteristics of the group: namely, t ...
. These systems used the following circumscription:
* order Proteales
:* family Proteaceae
References
*
{{Taxonbar, from=Q21838
Angiosperm orders