Large Cape Clades
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High diversity in the Cape floristic region results from a number of genera or clades containing unusually high numbers of species. Here we list the twenty largest genera in the Cape flora (Goldblatt & Manning, 2000), followed by other Cape floral clades listed on the basis of being both large (>50 species) and having a high proportion of species in the Cape floristic region (Linder, 2003). Following the name of each of these clades we list the family name in parentheses, followed by the names of researchers working on phylogenetic reconstruction of the particular clade where known.

 Details of the South African big plant clades from Linder (2003)

 

Twenty largest genera in the Cape flora:

 

Erica (Ericaceae)

 

Aspalathus  (Fabaceae)  Dr. Julie Hawkins, Ms. Dawn Edwards

 

Pelargonium (Geraniaceae)    Dr. Freek Bakker, Dr. Alastair Culham

 

Agathosma (Rutaceae) Mr. Terry Trinder-Smith

 

Phylica (Rhamnaceae) Dr. James Richardson

 

Lampranthus (Mesembryanthemacea)     

 

Oxalis (Oxalidaeceae)  Mr. Kenneth Oberlander, Dr. Leanne Dreyer

 

Moraea (Iridaceae) Dr. Peter Goldblatt, Dr. Gail Reeves, Dr. Vincent Savolainen

 

Cliffortia (Rosaceae)   Dr. Chris Whitehouse

 

Senecio (Asteraceae)

 

Muraltia (Polygalaceae)    Dr. Felix Forest

 

Gladiolus

 

Selago (Scrophulariaceae)

 

Crassula

 

Disa (Orchidaceae) Mr. Benny Bytebier

 

Rushia

 

Restio    (Restionaceae)  Prof. Peter Linder, Dr. Chris Hardy, Mr. Philip Moline

 

Leucadendron

 

 

Helichrysum

 

Thesium

 

Other large Cape floral clades:

 

Proteae (Proteaceae)    Dr. Gail Reeves

 

Relhaniinae (Asteraceae)          

 

Podalyrieae, Liparieae  (Fabaceae)    Dr. Michelle van der Bank

 

Arctoteae (Asteraceae)     

 

Psoraleeae (Fabaceae)

 

Amellus group (Asteraceae –Astereae)

 

Ursiniinae (Asteraceae)

 

Bruniaceae (Bruniaceae) Marcus Quint, Regine Classen-Bockhoff

 

Ficinia (Cyperaceae)  Dr. Muthama Muasya

 

Pentaschistis –Pentameris –Prionanthium (Poaceae)  Ms. Chloe Galley   

 

Prismatocarpeae, Siphocodoneae, Merciereae (Campanulaceae)   

 

Heliophila, Brachycarpaea, Cycloptychis, Silicularia, Thlaspeocarpa, Schlechteria (Brassicaceae)  Prof. Klaus Mummenhoff

 

Centella (Araliaceae)