Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

Taxonomy of Major Medicinal

Plant Orders, Families and Genera
Focus on Flowering Plants (Angiosperms)

Notes:
• Family classification follows older taxonomy contained within Gleason and Cronquist and
predominantly consistent with The Plant List collaborative project of the Royal Botanic Gardens,
Kew and Missouri Botanical Garden.
• In recent years the Plant Kingdom has been reclassified – many families (some are noted here),
but especially on the taxonomic levels of Division, Class, and Order.
• Some taxonomists and botanists now place all land plants in the Class Equisetopsida (or
sometimes Embryopsida) with taxa such as bryophytes, gymnosperms, angiosperms, etc.
becoming subclasses. The database of the Missouri Botanical Garden found on tropicos.org
follows this new system. This outline does not!
• This outline is also using a classic division between monocots and dicots, not the incorporation
of “eudicots” as is sometimes adopted now.
• This outline focuses on taxa which contain prominent medicinal species – it is not intended to
be taxonomically comprehensive; not all orders, families, genera, etc. are listed here – only
those containing prominent medicinal plants (with only a few exceptions). As an example the
family Cabombaceae is not listed under the Order Nymphaeales because it does not contain
prominent medicinal species. In some cases this is of course a subjective decision; so if you
disagree, make your own list.

Primary Sources:
• Gleason and Cronquist, Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent
Canada, 2nd Edition
• The Plant List: http://www.theplantlist.org
• USDA Plant Database: www.plants.usda.gov

Table of Contents pages

What you are reading now 1
Ginkgophyta 2
Cycadophyta 2
Gnetophyta 2
Pinophyta – Pinospida 2
Magnoliophyta – Liliopsida 3-4
Magnoliophyta – Magnoliopsida 5-14
• Magnolidae (Magnoliales, Laurales, Piperales, Aristochiales, Nymphaelaes, 5-6
Ranunculales, Papaverales)
• Hamameildae (Hamamelidales, Saxifragales, Urticales, Juglandales, 6-7
Myricales, Fagales)
• Caryophyllidae (Caryophillales, Polygonales) 7-8
• Dilleniidae (Nepenthales, Salicales, Theales, Malvales, Violales, 8-9
Capparales, Ericales, Primulales, Malpighiales)
• Rosidae (Rosales, Fabales, Myrtales, Santalales, Euphorbiales, 9-11
Cornales, Celastrales, rhamnales, Linales, Polygonales,
Sapindales, Gerianales, Apiales)
• Asteridae (Gentianales, Rubiales, Asterales, Lamiales, Plantaginales, 11-14
Solonales, Scrophulariales, Dipsicales)
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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

Division Ginkgophyta
Single Class, Order, Family, Genus and Species: Ginkgo biloba (previously placed in its own Class
within Pinophyta)
• Ancient lineage descended from a more biodiverse clade widespread from 270 million years ago
up to approximately 5 million years ago.

Division Cycadophyta
• One Class (Cycadopsida), two Orders and seven identified families:
o Order Cycadales -Cycadaceae, Stangeriaceae, and Zamiaceae
o Order Medullosales - Cyclopteridaceae, Neurodontopteridaceae, Parispermaceae,
Alethopteridaceae
• Some place all cycads in the single genus Cycas
• Sometimes placed within the gymnosperms, and are thought to be closely related to Ginkgo.
• Typically woody tree-like, dioecious, evergreen
• Subtropical and tropical
• Palm-like in appearance but not closely related
• Direct descendants of an ancient clade dating back at least 135 million years.
• Some spp. are known to live up to 1000 years.

Division Gnetophyta
• Single Class (Gnetopsida) and order (Gnetales) Gnetopsida)
• Three families with one genus in each:
o Gnetum (family Gnetaceae), Welwitschia (family Welwitschiaceae), and Ephedra (family
Ephedraceae)
• Morphologically very variable
• Often placed with the gymnosperms, although have vasculature more similar to angiosperms

Division Pinophyta (Gymnosperms)

Class Pinopsida
Order Pinales
Family Pinaceae
Prominent Genera with a focus on eastern U.S.: Pinus, Abies, Tsuga, Picea,
Larix
Family Cupressaceae
Prominent Genera with a focus on eastern U.S.: Juniperus, Thuja
Family Taxodiaceae
Prominent Genera with a focus on eastern U.S.: Sequoia, Sequoiadendron,
Taxodium
Order Taxales
Family Taxaceae
Prominent Genera with a focus on eastern U.S.: Taxus

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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

Division Magnoliophyta (Angiosperms)

Class Liliopsida (Monocots)
Subclass Lilidae
Order Liliales
Family Liliaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Allium (sometimes now placed in
Amaryllidaceae), Aletris, Tulipa
• This family has now been mostly broken up into smaller families
• 18 genera, 750 spp. (prev. 294 genera, 4500 spp.)
• Usually have underground stem: rhizome, bulb, or corm
• Flower usually perfect, regular, insect pollinated
• Parts in multiples of 3
• Fruit usually a capsule, rarely a berry
Family Smilaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Smilax
Family Dioscoraceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Dioscorea
Family Iridaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Iris
Family Melanthiaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Chaemelirium, Trillium (previously Liliaceae
and Trilliaceae), Helonias
Family Amaryllidaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Allium, Narcissus
Order Asparagales (previously placed within Liliales)
Family Asparagaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Asparagus,, Ophiopogon,Polygonatum,
Ruscus, Convallaria, Yucca, Agave (sometimes placed in Family Agavaceae)
Family Asphodelaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Aloe
Order Orchidales
Family Orchidaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Cypripedium, Gastrodia, Dendrobium, Vanilla
• 900 genera, 27,800 spp.
• One of the largest plant families
• Flowers consist of two whorls of 3 petals each for a total of six petals,
with adaxial petal of the inner whorl as a labellum (or lip)
• Ten stamens fused to one side of flower or fused with style to form a
column
• Often rhizomatous
• May epiphytic spp. especially in the tropics
• Sometimes reproduce asexually with plantlets growing in axils
• Many form pseudobulbs of swollen internodal stem (corm-like)

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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

Subclass Alismatidae
Order Alismatales
Family Alismataceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Alisma

Subclass Arecidae
Order Arales
Family Araceae
Genera: Symplocarpus, Arisaema
• 107 genera
• Many spp. are thermogenic
• Often rhizomatous or tuberous
• Inflorescence a spadix, with some being dioecious, some monoecious,
and some bisexual (or alternating sex), often with strong, foul smell
• Inflorescence often surrounded by spathe, prominent leaf-like bract
Family Acoraceae
Single genus: Acorus (previously Araceae)
• Two recognized species: A.calamus and A.gramineus
• Considered by some to be single extant descendant of oldest lineage
of ancient monocots

Subclass Zingiberidae
Order Bromeliales
Family Zingiberaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Zingiber, Curcuma, Elettaria

Subclass Commelinidae
Order Juncales
Family Juncaceae
Order Typhales
Family Typhaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Typha
Order Cyperales
Family Poaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Zea, Avena, Bambusa
o 760 genera, 11,500 spp.
o Cosmopolitan, annual and perennial, some tree-like
o 60% of the world’s food supply
o Stem usually cylindrical, swollen nodes, hollow internodes, many
with rhizomes
o Leaves alternate, in two rows, long narrow blade with parallel
venation
o Flower perfect, small, usually wind pollinated
o Fruit a one seeded caryopsis (grain)
Family Cyperaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Cyperus, [Carex]
• 110 genera, 5700 spp.

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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

Class Magnoliopsida (DICOTS)

Subclass Magnolidae
Order Magnoliales
Family Magnoliaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Liriodendron, Magnolia
• Often considered one of the oldest lineages of angiosperms
• Large, showy, biseuxal, spiral, solitary flowers
• Alternating simple entire leaves
• Buds often fuzzy
• Many are beetle-pollinated
• Fruits follicles or samaras
Family Schisandraceae (this family sometimes placed in order Illiciales)
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Schisandra
• 3 genera, 73 spp.
• These spp. Previosuly were placed in Magnoliaceae
(Family Annonaceae)
Order Laurales
Family Lauraceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Cinnamomum, Lindera, Camphora, Sassafras,
Persea
• 32 genera, 2500 spp.
• Woody plants with aromatic bark and leaves
• Entire, alternating leaves
• Mostly tropical, evergreen
• Flowers bisexual, often in clusters in axils, 6 tepals in 3 whorls, 12
stamens
• Fruit drupes or berries
Order Piperales
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Piper (P. nigrum; P. methysticum)
Order Aristolochiales
Family Aristolochiaceae: Aristolochia, Asarum
Order Nymphaeales - aquatic
Family Nelumboaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Nelumbo
• Often considered one of the oldest lineages of angiosperms
Family Nymphaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Nuphar, Nymphaea
• Often considered one of the oldest lineages of angiosperms
• 9 genera, 90 spp.
• Aquatic
• Leaves peltate, simple, alternate
• Flowers bisexual, showy, with long peduncle, superior ovary
• Fruit follicles, nutlets, berries
Order Ranunculales
Family Ranunculaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Pulsatilla, Actaea, Hydrastis, Paeonia,
Clematis, Coptis, Thalictrum, Aconitum, Anemone, Nigella
• 58 genera, 1750 spp.

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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

• Most diverse genus in Northeastern U.S.

• Mostly herbaceous, temperate climate
• Leaves usually alternate (exceptions such as Clematis), simple or
compound
• Flower perfect, cymose (spiral) inflorescence or solitary, superior
ovary, often in parts of 5.
• Insect or wind pollinated
• Fruit berries or capsules, follicles, achenes
Family Berberiadaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Berberis / Mahonia, Caulophyllum,
Epimedium
• 19 genera, 750 spp.
Order Papaverales
Family Papaveraceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Papaver, Chelidonium, Sanguinaria,
Eschscholzia, Corydalis
• 41 genera, 920 spp.
• Mostly herbaceous
• Mostly not found in tropical zones
• Lactiferous – milky latex
• Simple alternating leaves, lobed or pinnatifid
• Flowers bisexual, mostly solitary, insect pollinated
• Fruit usually capsule

Subclass Hamamelidae
Order Hamamelidales
Family Hamamelidaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Hamamelis, Liquidambar (sometimes placed
in Altinigaceae, Saxifragales)
• 23 genera, 100 spp.
• Most spp. occurring in Asia
• Many are trees, shrubs
• Simple, alternating leaves, deciduous or evergreen, often with
stipules, dendrite hairs
• flowers monoecious or dioecious, with compound ovary with two
carpels, small or no calyx, 4-5 stamens; mainly narrow ribbon
like petals or none; mostly bisexual flowers
• fruits are woody capsules with chambers
[Family Platanaceae – genus Platanus (sycamore)]
Order Saxifragales
Family Paeoniaceae
Single Genus: Paeonia
• 36 spp.
• Mostly herbaceous, approx. 8 are woody
Order Urticales
Family Ulmaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Ulmus
• 16 genera

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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

• Mostly unisexual flowers, superior ovary, single carpel

• Leaves with uneven base, dentate, alternate
• Fruit wind pollinated samosa, sometimes drupe, nutlet
Family Cannabaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Humulus, Cannabis, [Celtis]
Family Moraceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Morus, Ficus, (Urtica sometimes placed here)
• 40 genera, 1200 spp.
Family Urticaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Urtica, Parietaria
• 54 genera, 1400 spp.
Order Juglandales
Family Juglandaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Juglans, Carya, Nux
• Woody plants; large aromatic, usually alt lvs
• Ours are all alt, cmpd pinnate; fl tiny in catkins that are usually
unisexual, wind pollinated.
• All ours have drupaceous nuts.
Order Myricales
Family Myricaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Myrica
Order Fagales
Family Fagaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Quercus, Castanea, (Fagus)
• 8 genera
• Fruit often nut enclosed in basal bracts (involucre)
• Alternating simple leaves
• Unisexual, wind pollinated flowers
Family Betulaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Betula, Alnus
• 6 genera, 170 spp.
• Deciduous, alternating, simple, serrate leaves, stipules
• Lenticels on bark
• Monoecious
• Fruit nutlets or samaras

Subclass Caryophyllidae
Order Caryophyllales (many succuluents, fleshy stems and leaves)
Family Cactaceae – Cactus family
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Selenicereus, Opuntia, Lophophora
• 176 genera, 2200 spp.
• Native to the Americas
• Spines as modified leaves, sometimes two spines per node or areoles
(clusters of spines)
• Stem-succulents; enlarged succulent stems (phylloclades) and roots
modified for water storage
• Flowers solitary, tepals
Family Caryophyllaceae – Pink family
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Stellaria, Pseudostellaria
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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

• 91 genera, 2500 spp.

Family Chenopodiaceae – Goosefoot family
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Chenopodium (sometimes place in
Amaranthaceae)
Family Droseraceae (note: placed by Cronquist in Subclass Dilleniidae / Order
Nepenthales)
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Drosera, Dionaea
• Carnivorous plants – sundew, Venus fly-trap
Family Phytolaccaceae – Pokeweed family
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Phytolacca
Family Portulacaceae – Purslane family
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Portulaca
Order Polygonales
Family Polygonaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Rheum, Rumex, Polygonum, Fallopia
• 59 genera, 1350 spp.
• Mostly herbaceous, temperate, some tropical
• Leaves simple, entire, alternate with ochrea (sheath)
• Flower perfect, regular, racemose
• Fruit triangular nut or achene

Subclass Dilleniidae
Order Nepenthales – mainly carnivorous plants
[Family Sarraceniaceae]
Family Droseraceae (note: placed by some in Caryophyllales)
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Drosera, Dionaea
Order Salicales
Family Salicaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Salix, Populus
• 54 genera, 1260 spp.
• Woody plants
• Flowers as catkins
Order Theales
Family Theaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Camellia
Order Malvales
Family Malvaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Althaea, Cola, Theobroma, Gossypium, Tilia
(sometimes placed in own family Tilaceae), Malva, Hibiscus, Abutilon
• 245 genera, 4460 spp.
Order Violales
Family Cucurbitaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Gynostemma, Cucurbita, Luffa, Pepo,
Momordica
Family Passifloraceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Passiflora, Turnera
Family Violaceae (*note: now placed by some in Malpighiales)
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Viola

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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

Order Capparales
Family Brassicaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Alliaria, Alyssum, Armoracia, Brassica,
Lepidium, Nasturtium, Capsella, Isatis
Order Ericales
Family Ericaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Arctostaphylos, Vaccinium, Gaultheria,
Gaylussacia, Chimaphila, Monotropa (sometimes placed in own family
Monotropaceae)
• 151 genera, 3500 spp.
• Mostly woody shrubs
• Many thrive in acidic soils
• Often evergreen leaves, usually simple, alternate
• Bisexual flowers
• Fruits: berries, drupes, capsules
Order Primulales
Family Primulaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Primula, Dodecatheon, Anagallis, [Lysimachia]
Order Malpighiales (note: some also place the families in this order within
Salicaceae, Violaceae, Passifloraceae, Euphorbiaceae)
Family Erythroxylaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Erythroxylum
Family Hypericaceae
Hypericum (previously placed in Clusiaceae)

Subclass Rosidae
Order Rosales
Family Rosaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Rosa, Malus, Pyrus, Prunus, Fragaria, Rubus,
Crataegus, Agrimonia, Filipendula, Alchemilla
• 107 genera, 4800 spp.
• Much taxonomic confusion!
• Leaves simple or compound, alternate
• Flowers regular, perfect, parts of five or multiples
• Fruit pome, achene, drupe
Family Hydrangeaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Hydrangea
Family Crassulaceae (sometimes placed in Saxifragales)
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Rhodiola
Order Fabales
Family Fabaceae (Leguminosae)
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Astragalus, Albizia (sometimes placed in its
own family Mimosaceae), Cassia, Cercis, Senna (some place Cercis,
Tamarindus, Senna, etc. in Caesalpiniaceae), Galega, Glycine, Glycyrrhiza,
Medicago, Trigonella, Piscidia, Melilotus, Trifolium, Baptisia, Macuna,
Pueraria
• ***945 genera, 24,600 spp.
• Many are nitrogen fixing through bacterial activity on root nodules
• Trees, shrubs, vines, herbs
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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

• Leaves usually compound, alternate

• Flower perfect, regular or irregular, 5 parts free or fused
• Fruit legume
Order Myrtales
Family Onagraceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Oenothera, Epilobium, [Circaea]
Order Santalales
Family Santalaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Santalum, Viscum (sometimes placed in
separate family Viscaceae)
Order Euphorbiales
Family Euphorbiaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Euphorbium, Stillingia, Ricinus
Order Cornales
Family Cornaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Cornus, Nyssa
Order Celastrales
[Family Celastraceae]
Family Aquifoliaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Ilex
Order Rhamnales
Family Rhamnaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Ceanothus, Frangula, Rhamnus, Ziziphus
Family Vitaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Vitis, [Parthenocissus]
Order Linales
Family Linaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Linum
Order Polygalales
Family Polygalaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Polygala
Order Sapindales
Family Zygophyllaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Guaiacum, Tribulus
Family Sapindaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Acer, Aesculus (Aceraceae and
Hippocastanceae have now both been placed in this family)
Family Anacardiaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Rhus, Toxicodendron, Foods: Pistacia,
Anacardium, Mangifera
• Many woody plants
• Fruit most often drupe
• Some produce urushiol
Family Rutaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Ruta, Citrus, Zanthoxylum,
Phellodendron
Family Simaroubaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Ailanthus, Picrasma, Quassia,
Simarouba

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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

Family Burseraceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Boswellia, Commiphora
Order Geraniales
Family Oxalidaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Oxalis
Family Geraniaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Geranium, Pelargonium
Family Balsaminaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Impatiens
Order Apiales (also called Araliales)
Family Araliaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Panax, Eleutheroccus (syn. Acanthopanax),
Aralia, Oplopanax, Hedera, Centella (recently placed here from Apiaceae),
Hydrocotyle
• 40 genera, 1500 spp.
• Mainly woody shrubs, also perennial herbs
• Leaves compound with toothed leaflets
• Flower small umbels or racemes of umbels; 2-5 carpels in
compound inferior ovary
• Fruit a berry or drupe
Family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Daucus, Eryngium, Foeniculum, Coriandrum,
Centella (previous), Angelica, Bupleurum, Ammi, Levisticum, Petroselinum,
Lomatium, Pimpinella, Conium, Cicuta
• 418 genera, 3100 spp.
• Mostly herbs
• Leaves often highly dissected, alternate
• Flower perfect, small, 5 parts: umbel or compound umbel
• Fruit schizocarp or achenes

Subclass Asteridae
Order Gentianales
Family Loganiaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Strychnos
Family Gentianaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Gentiana
Family Apocynaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Apocynum, Asclepias (sometimes placed in
separate Asclepiadaceae), Cryptolepis, Gymnema, Vinca, Hoodia,
Strophanthus
Order Rubiales (sometimes now placed with Gentianales)
Family Rubiaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Cinchona, Coffea, Galium, Mitchella, Morinda,
Uncaria
• 69 genera, 13,600 spp.
Order Asterales
Family Asteraceae (Compositae)
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Echinacea, Artemisia, Cichorium, Cynara,
Arctium, Helianthus, Inula, Calendula, Achillea, Ambrosia, Stevia,

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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

Matricaria, Cnicus, Eupatorium, Taraxacum, Tussilago, Solidago, Anthemis,

Lactuca, Arnica, Atractylodes, Bidens, Erigeron, Eclipta, Chrysanthemum,
Grindelia, Petasites, Silybum, Spilanthes, Tussilago
• 1900 genera, 32,000 spp. – largest dicot family
• Mostly herbs and shrubs
• Many pioneer plants (“weeds”), highly adaptable
• Leaves usually (not always) alternate, simple or compound
• Flowers as inflorescence: capitulum or pseudanthium
• Fruit cypsela
Family Campanulaceae (sometimes placed in separate order Campanulales)
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Codonopsis, Lobelia, Platycodon
• 2400 species in 84 genera
• Mostly herbs, shrubs, some small trees
• Generally alternating, simple leaves
• Bell-shaped, tubular bisexual flowers with small lobes
• Fruit: capsules, berries
• Cosmopolitan but mostly Northern hemisphere plants (with the
exception of South Africa)
• Lobelia alternately treated as a subfamily Lobelioideae or separate
family Lobeliaceae
Order Lamiales
Family Lamiaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Thymus, Mentha, Salvia, Ocimum,
Rosmarinus, Lavandula, Origanum, Nepeta, Scutellaria, Lycopus, Leonurus,
Hyssopus, Collinsonia, Marrubium, Prunella, Vitex, Ballota, Collinsonia,
Monarda
• 245 genera, 7800 spp.
• Mostly herbaceous plants
• Cosmopolitan, concentrated in Mediterranean and central Asia
• Mostly in full sun, open habitat
• Often aromatic: high in volatile oils
• Square stems
• Leaves opposite
• Flowers perfect, irregular, five petals fused into upper and lower
labiae (bilabiate)
• Fruit achene-like nutlets
• Similar in appearance to Scrophulariaceae
Family Verbenaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Verbena, Vitex (previous, now Lamiaceae)
Family Boraginaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Borago, Pulmonaria, Symphytum
Order Plantaginales
Family Plantaginaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera:Plantago, Rehmannia (also placed in
Scrophulariaceae or Orobanchaceae), Chelone (also placed in
Scrophulariaceae)
Order Solonales
Family Solonaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Lycium, Capsicum, Withania, Nicotiana,
Atropa, Datura, Brugmansia, Hyoscyamus
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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

• 115 genera, 2700 spp.

• Trees, shrubs, herbs, vines
• Variable characteristics
• Leaves simple or compound, usually alternate, but varying a lot
• Often odorous
• Flower perfect, regular – 5 parts
• Fruit berry or capsule formed from multiple ovules
• High in alkaloid content; many medicines, poisons, psychtropics
Family Convolvulaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Convolvulus, Cuscuta (sometimes placed in
Cuscutaceae), Ipomoea
• 67 genera, 1300 spp.
Order Scrophulariales
Family Scrophulariaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Scrophularia, Verbascum, Digitalis,
Picrorrhiza, Chelone, Rehmannia (also placed in Orobanchaceae or
Plantaginaceae), Veronicastrum
• 76 genera, 1500 spp.
• Mostly herbaceous plants
• Leaves usually simple, alternate, opposite, or whorled
• Stem round or square
• Flower perfect, racemose or spike, 4-5 parts, irregular, bilabiate
• Fruit usually capsule
Family Orobanchaceae (sometimes places in Lamiales)
Prominent Genera: Cistanche, Pedicularis, Conopholis, Euphrasia (green but
semi-parasitic), Epifagus, Rehmannia (green plant; sometimes placed in own
family or in Scrophulariaceae)
• 90 genera
• Often non-green, non-photosynthesizing, often considered
parasitic or semi-parasitic,
• Parasitic spp. have leaves reduced as scales
• Mostly herbaceous
• Bisexual, irregular flowers, 2-5 sepals around tubular calyx; 5
petals, two-lobed upper lip, 3-lobed lower lip
• Fruit often dehiscent capsule
Family Oleaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Olea, Fraxinus, Forsythia, Chionanthus,
Ligustrum, Jasminum
• 24 genera worldwide; most in SE Asia and Australia; 690 spp.
• 7 genera in our area
• Woody plants, opposite, exstipulate lvs (no stipules – growth on
base of petiole), otherwise variable
• Fl: usually bisexual, panicles or racemes; 4-lobed calyx and corolla;
2 lobed stigma, usually 2 stamens
• Fr: often wind-dispersed samara; sometimes capsule, berry, or
drupe)

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Richard Mandelbaum RH Updated April 2017

Order Dipsicales
Family Caprifoliaceae
Prominent Medicinal Genera: Lonicera, Dipsacus (sometimes placed in own
family Dipsacaceae), Valeriana (sometimes placed in own family
Valerianaceae)
• 18 genera, 450 spp.
• Many woody plants, vines, shrubs
• Family has more recently been reduced with many spp. split up into
other families
• Opposite, simple leaves
• Flowers bisexual, inferior ovary with 3-5 carpels
• Fruit often berry or drupe
Family Adoxaceae
Prominent Medicinal GeneraViburnum (prev. Caprifoliaceae), Sambucus
(prev. Caprifoliaceae),

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