Montiaceae are 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 ...

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, comprising about 14 genera with about 230 known species, ranging from small

herbaceous Herbaceous plants are vascular plants that have no persistent woody stems above ground. This broad category of plants includes many perennials, and nearly all annuals and biennials. Definitions of "herb" and "herbaceous" The fourth edition of t ...

plants to

shrub A shrub (often also called a bush) is a small-to-medium-sized perennial woody plant. Unlike herbaceous plants, shrubs have persistent woody stems above the ground. Shrubs can be either deciduous or evergreen. They are distinguished from trees ...

s. The family has a

cosmopolitan distribution In biogeography, cosmopolitan distribution is the term for the range of a taxon that extends across all or most of the world in appropriate habitats. Such a taxon, usually a species, is said to exhibit cosmopolitanism or cosmopolitism. The ext ...

. The family Montiaceae was newly adopted in the APG III system and includes members of the

Caryophyllales Caryophyllales ( ) is a diverse and heterogeneous order of flowering plants that includes the cacti, carnations, amaranths, ice plants, beets, and many carnivorous plants. Many members are succulent, having fleshy stems or leaves. The betalai ...

formerly listed in

Portulacaceae The Portulacaceae are a family of flowering plants, comprising 115 species in a single genus '' Portulaca''. Formerly some 20 genera with about 500 species, were placed there, but it is now restricted to encompass only one genus, the other genera ...

Genera

*'' Calandrinia'' Kunth *''

Calyptridium ''Calyptridium'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Montiaceae. Its native range is Northern America, Southern South America. Species: *'' Calyptridium hesseae'' , syn. ''Calyptridium parryi'' var. ''hesseae'' *'' Calyptrid ...

'' Nutt. *'' Cistanthe'' Spach *''

Claytonia ''Claytonia'' (spring beauty) is a genus of flowering plants native to Asia, North America, and Central America. The vitamin-rich leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, and the tubers can be prepared like potatoes. Description The plants are somew ...

'' L. *''

Hectorella ''Hectorella'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Montiaceae. It is monotypic, being represented by the single species ''Hectorella caespitosa''. It is native to New Zealand. The genus name of ''Hectorella'' is in honour of Ja ...

'' Hook.f. *'' Lenzia'' Phil. *''

Lewisia ''Lewisia'' is a plant genus, named for the American explorer Meriwether Lewis (1774-1809) who encountered the species in 1806. The native habitat of ''Lewisia'' species is north facing cliffs in western North America. Local Native Americans at ...

'' Pursh *''

Lewisiopsis ''Lewisiopsis tweedyi'' is a flowering plant and sole species in genus ''Lewisiopsis''. The species, formerly known as ''Cistanthe tweedyi'' and ''Lewisia tweedyi'', is now classified in the family Montiaceae. The plant is known by the common nam ...

'' Govaerts *''

Lyallia ''Lyallia kerguelensis'', commonly called the lyallia cushion (''coussin de lyallia'' in French), is a species of flowering cushion plant in the monotypic genus ''Lyallia'' of the family Montiaceae. It is sometimes placed in the Hectorellaceae ...

'' Hook.f. *''

Montia ''Montia'' is a genus of plants in the family Montiaceae. Species in this genus are known generally as miner's lettuce or water chickweed. All of the species in the genus have edible leaves. It is found worldwide, except in Asia. Montias are know ...

'' L. *''

Montiopsis ''Montiopsis'' is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the family Montiaceae. Its native range is Peru to southern South America. It is found in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. The genus name of ''Montiopsis'' is in honour of Giuseppe ...

'' Kuntze *'' Parakeelya'' Hershk. *''

Phemeranthus ''Phemeranthus'' (fameflower) is a genus of flowering plants in the miner's lettuce family, Montiaceae, native to the Americas. It is sometimes placed in Portulacaceae. The name is derived from the Greek words εφήμερος (''ephemeros''), me ...

'' Raf. *'' Schreiteria'' Carolin

References

External links

* * Caryophyllales families Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque {{Caryophyllales-stub