Juncaginaceae
Encyclopedia
Juncaginaceae is the botanical name
of a family of flowering plants, recognized by most taxonomists for the past few decades. It is also known as the Arrowgrass family.
The APG II system
, of 2003 (unchanged from the APG system
, of 1998), also recognizes such a family and places it in the order Alismatales
, in the clade monocots. The family includes perhaps four genera (with Triglochin the best known), totalling about a dozen species, which are found in cold or temperate regions in both the Northern
and Southern Hemisphere
.
The flowers are small and green in erect spikes or racemes. The flower parts come in threes, but the carpels are either 3 or 6, joined to a superior ovary.
The fruit is a capsule.
Example arrowgrasses Triglochin include the Marsh Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris
), the Sea Arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima), and also other species like Triglochin trichophora
, Triglochin striata
and Triglochin mucronata
.
According to the APG website, the family contains the following four genera: Triglochin, Lilaea
, Maundia and Tetroncium.
The Maundia genus was grouped within the Juncaginaceae family by the APG II. The newer APG III version, though, suggests it may be necessary to split Maundia off into its own family, Maundiaceae.
Botanical name
A botanical name is a formal scientific name conforming to the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature and, if it concerns a plant cultigen, the additional cultivar and/or Group epithets must conform to the International Code of Nomenclature for Cultivated Plants...
of a family of flowering plants, recognized by most taxonomists for the past few decades. It is also known as the Arrowgrass family.
The APG II system
APG II system
The APG 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 Group. It was a revision of the first APG system, published in 1998, and was superseded in 2009...
, of 2003 (unchanged from the APG system
APG system
The APG system of plant classification is the first, now obsolete, version of a modern, mostly molecular-based, system of plant taxonomy that was published in 1998 by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group. It was superseded in 2003 by a revision, the APG II system, and then in 2009 by a further...
, of 1998), also recognizes such a family and places it in the order Alismatales
Alismatales
Alismatales is an order of flowering plants including about 2500 species. Pleants assigned to this order are mostly tropical or aquatic.-Description:...
, in the clade monocots. The family includes perhaps four genera (with Triglochin the best known), totalling about a dozen species, which are found in cold or temperate regions in both the Northern
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of a planet that is north of its equator—the word hemisphere literally means “half sphere”. It is also that half of the celestial sphere north of the celestial equator...
and Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
.
Description
Juncaginaceae are marsh or aquatic herbs with linear, sheathing basal leaves.The flowers are small and green in erect spikes or racemes. The flower parts come in threes, but the carpels are either 3 or 6, joined to a superior ovary.
The fruit is a capsule.
Example arrowgrasses Triglochin include the Marsh Arrowgrass (Triglochin palustris
Triglochin palustris
Triglochin palustris or Marsh Arrowgrass is a variety of arrowgrass found in damp grassland usually on calcareous soils, fens and meadows. It has a circumboreal distribution, occurring throughout northern parts of the Northern Hemisphere. It can be found locally in the British Isles especially the...
), the Sea Arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima), and also other species like Triglochin trichophora
Triglochin trichophora
Triglochin trichophora is an annual herb native to Australia.-Taxonomy:This species was published in 1848 by Christian Gottfried Daniel Nees von Esenbeck. It is had an uneventful taxonomic history.-Distribution and habitat:...
, Triglochin striata
Triglochin striata
Triglochin striata is a plant native to temperate and subtropic Australia with specimens recorded from Perth in Western Australia through to Mackay in North Queensland. It is also native to several regions in the Americas. It is a perennial with parallel lines on its narrow linear leaves which...
and Triglochin mucronata
Triglochin mucronata
Triglochin mucronata is a salt-tolerant herb native to Australia.-Description:It grows as an annual herb that sprawls along the ground, reaching a height of no more than 22 centimetres. It has green flowers.-Taxonomy:...
.
According to the APG website, the family contains the following four genera: Triglochin, Lilaea
Lilaea
In Greek mythology, Lilaea was a Naiad of a spring of the same name, daughter of the river god Cephissus.The town of Lilaea in Phocis and the asteroid 213 Lilaea are named after her....
, Maundia and Tetroncium.
The Maundia genus was grouped within the Juncaginaceae family by the APG II. The newer APG III version, though, suggests it may be necessary to split Maundia off into its own family, Maundiaceae.
External links
- Juncaginaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, information retrieval. Version: 9 March 2006. http://delta-intkey.com
- Juncaginaceae in the Flora of North America
- NCBI Taxonomy browser
- links at CSDL, Texas
- Juncaginaceae of Mongolia in FloraGREIF