Polemoniaceae are a family

Family (biology)

In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...

 of about 25 genera

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 with 270-400 species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

 of annual

Annual plant

An annual plant is a plant that usually germinates, flowers, and dies in a year or season. True annuals will only live longer than a year if they are prevented from setting seed...

 and perennial

Perennial plant

A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives for more than two years. The term is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter lived annuals and biennials. The term is sometimes misused by commercial gardeners or horticulturalists to describe only herbaceous perennials...

 plants

Flowering plant

The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...

, native to the Northern Hemisphere

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 South America

South America

South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...

, with the center of diversity in western North America

North America

North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...

, especially in California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

.

Only one genus (Polemonium

Polemonium

Polemonium, commonly called Jacob's ladder, is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and also in the southern Andes in South America...

) is found in Europe

Europe

Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...

, and two (Phlox

Phlox

Phlox is a genus of 67 species of perennial and annual plants found mostly in North America in diverse habitats from alpine tundra to open woodland and prairie. Some flower in spring, others in summer and autumn....

and Polemonium

Polemonium

Polemonium, commonly called Jacob's ladder, is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and also in the southern Andes in South America...

) in Asia

Asia

Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...

, where they are confined to cool temperate to arctic regions; both genera also occur more widely in North America, suggesting relatively recent colonization of the Old World from North America.

The family can be distinguished from most other eudicot families by the ovary

Ovary (plants)

In the flowering plants, an ovary is a part of the female reproductive organ of the flower or gynoecium. Specifically, it is the part of the pistil which holds the ovule and is located above or below or at the point of connection with the base of the petals and sepals...

 made up of three fused carpels (usually with three chambers, but one chamber in some species). The members of the family have five sepal

Sepal

A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...

s, five petal

Petal

Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...

s fused, and five stamen

Stamen

The stamen is the pollen producing reproductive organ of a flower...

s that alternate with the lobes of the corolla.

For decades, most sources used a classification of the family published by Grant in 1959, but new evidence, including molecular phylogeny

Molecular phylogeny

Molecular phylogenetics is the analysis of hereditary molecular differences, mainly in DNA sequences, to gain information on an organism's evolutionary relationships. The result of a molecular phylogenetic analysis is expressed in a phylogenetic tree...

, veins of the corolla, pollen, and the flavonoid

Flavonoid

Flavonoids , are a class of plant secondary metabolites....

s present, have led to reclassifications, such as the 1998 classification by Grant. It recognizes two subfamilies. The subfamily Cobaeoideae is tropical/subtropical and composed of six genera organized into five tribes. The subfamily Polemonioideae consists of 13 temperate genera. Grant divides it into three tribes, but with the disclaimer that it is not clear what the correct division is and that the genus classifications may be more useful in this subfamily.

Cultivation and uses

Although few are of economic importance, a number are widely grown as ornamental plant

Ornamental plant

Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as house plants, for cut flowers and specimen display...

s, such as Ipomopsis aggregata (Scarlet Gilia), and many species of Phlox

Phlox

Phlox is a genus of 67 species of perennial and annual plants found mostly in North America in diverse habitats from alpine tundra to open woodland and prairie. Some flower in spring, others in summer and autumn....

and Polemonium

Polemonium

Polemonium, commonly called Jacob's ladder, is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and also in the southern Andes in South America...

. The Kantuta

Cantuta

240px|right|thumb|Cantutas in [[Taquile Island]], [[Lake Titicaca]], [[Peru]].The Cantuta is a flowering plant found in the high valleys of the yungas. It is the national flower of Peru and one of two national flowers of Bolivia, the other being the Patujú...

 (Cantua buxifolia) is the national flower of Bolivia

Bolivia

Bolivia officially known as Plurinational State of Bolivia , is a landlocked country in central South America. It is the poorest country in South America...

 and Peru

Peru

Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....

.

Genera

There are 25 genera

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

:

Acanthogilia Acanthogilia Acanthogilia is a genus with a single species of desert shrub from Baja California, Mexico. It was first scientifically described as a genus in 1986. - Classification :Its closest relatives within the family Polemoniaceae are not clear... Aliciella Aliciella Aliciella is a genus of plants in the phlox family. These plants have been treated as members of genus Gilia until recently, when it was proposed they be moved back to Aliciella. This genus was created in 1905 to include certain gilias that seemed distinct from most of the others, but it was... * Allophyllum Allophyllum Allophyllum is a small genus of flowering plants in the phlox family known as false gilyflowers. These are hairy, glandular annuals with tall, thin, branching stems topped with clusters of small tubular flowers in varying shades of purple. Some of the plants are sticky, and all have seeds which... Bonplandia Cantua Cantua Cantua is a genus of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae which is in the order Ericales.They are restricted to central South America where many species are endemics in the countries of occurrence.... Cobaea Cobaea Cobaea is a genus of flowering plants including about 20 species of rapid growing, ornamental annual or perennial climbers from Tropical America, native to Mexico. The botanical name is honored for Father Cobo, Spanish Jesuit of the seventeenth century, naturalist, and resident of America for many... * Collomia Collomia Collomia is a genus of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae.-Species:*Collomia coccinea - collomia*Collomia debilis - alpine collomia*Collomia diversifolia - serpentine collomia*Collomia grandiflora - grand collomia... Dayia * Eriastrum Eriastrum Eriastrum is a genus of flowering plants in the phlox family which are known commonly as woollystars. These wildflowers are somewhat diverse in appearance but are usually erect, thin-stemmed herbs which bear purple to white blooms. Most species have inflorescences which are webbed with a woolly...

Gilia Gilia Gilia is a genus of between 25 and 50 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to temperate and tropical regions of the Americas, from the western United States south to northern Chile, where they occur mainly in desert or semi-desert habitats.They are herbaceous annuals,... Gymnosteris Gymnosteris Gymnosteris is a small genus of flowering plants in the phlox family. These are small annual herbs which are native to the western United States. They generally lack leaves, but the bracts are large, fleshy, and leaflike.There are two species:... Huthia Ipomopsis Ipomopsis Ipomopsis is a genus of flowering plants in the phlox family, Polemoniaceae. The annual and perennial herbs it contains are native to the Americas, particularly North America.Species include:*Ipomopsis aggregata V.E.Grant - Scarlet Gilia... Langloisia Langloisia Langloisia setosissima is a flowering plant, the sole species in the genus Langloisia in the family Polemoniaceae... Lathrocasis * Leptodactylon Leptosiphon Leptosiphon Leptosiphon is a genus of flowering plants in the Polemoniaceae family. Many included species were formerly classified as members of the genus Linanthus... * Linanthus Linanthus Linanthus is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the phlox family Polemoniaceae. The species are found in western North America and in Chile, with the greatest diversity in California....

Loeselia Loeseliastrum Loeseliastrum Loeseliastrum is a small genus of flowering plants in the phlox family.Species include:*Loeseliastrum depressum - depressed ipomopsis*Loeseliastrum matthewsii - desert calico*Loeseliastrum schottii - Schott's calico-External links:**... Microsteris Microsteris Microsteris is a monotypic genus of flowering plants in the phlox family containing the single species Microsteris gracilis, known by the common name slender phlox. The segregation of this species into a genus of its own is controversial, and many botanists continue to include the plant in genus... * Navarretia Navarretia Navarretia is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants related to the phloxes and the gilias. This is one genus of plants among others which are sometimes called pincushion plants. The inflorescence which bears the flowers is surrounded by frilly green bracts bearing soft spines, giving it... Phlox Phlox Phlox is a genus of 67 species of perennial and annual plants found mostly in North America in diverse habitats from alpine tundra to open woodland and prairie. Some flower in spring, others in summer and autumn.... Polemonium Polemonium Polemonium, commonly called Jacob's ladder, is a genus of about 30 species of flowering plants in the family Polemoniaceae, native to cool temperate to arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and also in the southern Andes in South America... Saltugilia *

Genera with an asterisk (*) are not treated as distinct by all botanists.

External links

• Tree of Life Polemoniaceae
• Polemoniaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). The families of flowering plants.