Triuridaceae are a family of tropical and subtropical

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 t ...

s, including nine genera with a total of approximately 55 known species. All members lack chlorophyll and are mycoheterotrophic (obtain food by digesting intracellular fungi, often erroneously called 'saprophytes'). The heterotrophic lifestyle of these plants has resulted in a loss of xylem vessels and stomata, and a reduction of leaves to scales. The flowers of Triuridaceae have tepals which are fused at the base and contain 10 to many free carpels.

Systematics

The circumscription of Triuridaceae has been unstable and some taxa may be paraphyletic. Triuridaceae have been allied with Alismataceae (based on the free carpels) but 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 Published in 2009, it was superseded in 2016 by a fu ...

(2009) places them among the non-commelinid monocots, in the Order Pandanales. The genus ''Lacandonia'' is sometimes placed in its own family, Lacandoniaceae. Triuridaceae are included in the Kew Royal Botanical Garden World Checklist of Selected Plant Families and were reviewed by H. Maas-van de Kamer and P. Maas-van de Kamer in 2005. In this list, the genera ''

Andruris ''Sciaphila'' is a genus of mycoheterotrophic plants in the family Triuridaceae. These plants receive nutrition from fungi and neighboring trees and have less need for photosynthesis. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, found i ...

'' and ''

Hyalisma ''Sciaphila'' is a genus of mycoheterotrophic plants in the family Triuridaceae. These plants receive nutrition from fungi and neighboring trees and have less need for photosynthesis. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, found i ...

'' are subsumed into ''Sciaphila'' and '' Hexuris'' is subsumed into ''Peltophyllum'', but two new genera '' Kupea'' and ''

Kihansia ''Kihansia'' is a genus of parasitic plants in the Triuridaceae, lacking chlorophyll and obtaining nutrients from fungi in the soil. It contains only one known species, ''Kihansia lovettii'', endemic to the Ulanga District of Tanzania T ...

'' are included. Both genera were described (and placed in Triuridaceae) in 2003. '' Mabelia'' and '' Nuhliantha'' are fossil genera that were both described in 2002 from the

Turonian The Turonian is, in the ICS' geologic timescale, the second age in the Late Cretaceous Epoch, or a stage in the Upper Cretaceous Series. It spans the time between 93.9 ± 0.8 Ma and 89.8 ± 1 Ma (million years ago). The Turonian is preceded b ...

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

. The included genera therefore are: *''

'' Cheek *'' Kupea'' Cheek & S.A.Williams *''

Lacandonia ''Lacandonia'' is a mycoheterotrophic plant that contains no chlorophyll and has the unusual characteristic of inverted positions of the male (androecium) and female (gynoecium) floral parts, something that had not been seen in any other plants, ...

'' E.Martínez & Ramos *†'' Mabelia'' Gandolfo, Nixon et Crepet *†'' Nuhliantha'' Gandolfo, Nixon et Crepet *''

Peltophyllum ''Peltophyllum'' is a genus of myco-heterotrophic plants in family Triuridaceae, native to southern South America. It contains the following species:Krauczuk, E.R. & al. (2013). Nuevos registros de plantas micoheterótrofas aclorofiladas para la ...

'' Gardner (syn. ''Hexuris'' Miers) *''

Sciaphila ''Sciaphila'' is a genus of mycoheterotrophic plants in the family Triuridaceae. These plants receive nutrition from fungi and neighboring trees and have less need for photosynthesis. It is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions, found i ...

'' Blume (syn. ''Hyalisma'' Champion) *'' Seychellaria'' Hemsl. *''

Soridium ''Soridium'' is a genus of parasitic plants in the Triuridaceae, lacking chlorophyll and obtaining nutrients from fungi in the soil. It contains only one known species, ''Soridium spruceanum'', native to Brazil, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guian ...

'' Miers *''

Triuridopsis ''Triuridopsis'' is a genus of parasitic flowering plants in the family Triuridaceae. It has two known species, both native to western South America. *'' Triuridopsis intermedia'' T.Franke, Beenken & C.Hahn - Bolivia *'' Triuridopsis peruviana' ...

'' H.Maas & Maas *''

Triuris ''Triuris'' is a genus in the family Triuridaceae. It consists of species that are small and achlorophyllous, occurring in tropical Mexico, Guatemala, and northern South America South America is a continent entirely in the Western He ...

'' Miers

Systematics

References

External links