The Suaedoideae are a subfamily of plants in the family
Amaranthaceae
Amaranthaceae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the amaranth family, in reference to its type genus ''Amaranthus''. It includes the former goosefoot family Chenopodiaceae and contains about 165 genera and 2,040 species, making it ...
(now including the former family Chenopodiaceae).
Description
The Suaedoideae have well-developed leaves. Except for genus ''
Bienertia'', the leaves show a central and many lateral vascular bundles. The leaves are neither decurrent nor amplexicaul.
The inflorescences are axillary cymes. The flowers are sitting free in the axils of bracts, with lateral bracteoles. The perianth consists of 5 tepals, which are more or less fused basally. 5 stamens are present. The seed encloses a spiral embryo, mostly without any perisperm.
Distribution
The Suaedoideae have a nearly worldwide distribution. They are important members of the vegetation of shores and salty inland habitats. They are especially common in dry (arid) regions.
Photosynthesis pathway
Among the species of Suaedoideae, there are nearly equal numbers of
C3-plants and
C4-plants. During the evolution of the subfamily, the C
4-photosynthesis pathway seems to have been derived from four independent origins: two times with Kranz C
4 anatomy in ''Suaeda'' section ''Salsina'' and ''Suaeda'' section ''Schoberia''. Two independent origins of non-Kranz C
4 systems are found in ''Bienertia'' and ''Suaeda'' section ''Borszczowia''. In these plants, the photosynthesis pathways are located without spatial separation in a "single cell C
4" type.
Systematics
![Suaeda maritima](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f1/Suaeda_maritima.jpg)
According to phylogenetic research by Kapralov et al. (2006), the Suaedoideae are grouped in 2 tribes:
* Tribus
Bienertieae Ulbr., with only one genus:
** ''
Bienertia'' Bunge ex Boiss., with 3 species:
*** ''
Bienertia cycloptera'' Bunge ex Boiss.
*** ''
Bienertia sinuspersici
''Bienertia sinuspersici'' is a flowering plant that currently is classified in the family ''Amaranthaceae'', although it was previously considered to belong to the family Chenopodiaceae.
''Bienertia sinuspersici'' conducts C4 photosynthesis, b ...
'' Akhani
*** ''
Bienertia kavirense'' Akhani
* Tribus
Suaedeae, with only one genus:
** ''
Suaeda
__NOTOC__
''Suaeda'' is a genus of plants also known as seepweeds and sea-blites. Most species are confined to saline or alkaline soil habitats, such as coastal salt-flats and tidal wetlands. Many species have thick, succulent leaves, a character ...
'' Forssk. ex J.F.Gmel. (inclusive ''Alexandra'' Bunge and ''Borszczowia'' Bunge). With about 82 species, nearly worldwide. The genus can be further divided:
*** subgenus ''Brezia'' (Moq.) Freitag & Schütze
**** section ''Brezia'' (Moq.) Volk
*** subgenus ''Suaeda''
**** section ''Alexandra'' (Bunge) Kapralow et al.
**** section ''Borszczowia'' (Bunge) Freitag & Schütze
**** section ''Physophora'' Iljin
**** section ''Salsina'' Moq. s.l. (sensu Schütze et al.)
**** section ''Schanginia'' (C.A.Meyer) Volk
**** section ''Schoberia'' (C.A.Meyer) Volk
**** section ''Suaeda''
See also
*
Halophyte
A halophyte is a salt-tolerant plant that grows in soil or waters of high salinity, coming into contact with saline water through its roots or by salt spray, such as in saline semi-deserts, mangrove swamps, marshes and sloughs and seashores. T ...
References
*
External links
{{Taxonbar, from=Q740958
Amaranthaceae
Caryophyllales subfamilies