The Verbenaceae ( ), the verbena family or vervain family, is a family of mainly tropical flowering plants. It contains trees, shrubs, and herbs notable for heads, spikes, or clusters of small flowers, many of which have an aromatic smell.
The family Verbenaceae includes 32 genera and 800 species. Phylogenetic studies have shown that numerous genera traditionally classified in Verbenaceae belong instead in Lamiaceae. The mangrove genus Avicennia, sometimes placed in the Verbenaceae or in its own family, Avicenniaceae, has been placed in the Acanthaceae.
Economically important Verbenaceae include: Lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla), grown for aroma or flavoring Verbenas or vervains (Verbena), some used in herbalism, others grown in gardens
Taxonomy
33 genera are accepted. Tribes and genera in the family and their estimated species numbers:
Casselieae (Schauer) Tronc. Casselia Nees & Mart. - 6 species Parodianthus Tronc. - 2 species Tamonea Aubl. - 6 species
Citharexyleae Briq. Citharexylum L. (fiddlewoods) - 60 species Rehdera Moldenke - 3 species
Duranteae Bent. Bouchea Cham. - 13 species Chascanum E.Mey - 27 species Duranta L. - 31 species Recordia Moldenke - 2 species Stachytarpheta Vahl - 120 species
Lantaneae Endl. Aloysia Palau (beebrushes) - 36 species Coelocarpum Balf.f. - 6 species Diphyllocalyx (Griseb.) Greuter & R.Rankin - 6 species Isidroa Greuter & R.Rankin - 1 species Lantana L. (shrub verbenas, lantanas) - 100 species Lippia L. (synonym Burroughsia Moldenke) - 140 species Nashia Millsp. - 1 species Phyla Lour. (frogfruits) - 5 species Salimenaea – 1 species Troncosoa N.O'Leary & P.Moroni - 1 species
Neospartoneae Olmstead & N.O'Leary Diostea Miers - 1 species Lampayo Phil. ex Murillo - 3 species Neosparton Griseb. - 3 species
Petreeae Briq. Petrea L. (sandpaper vines) - 12 species
Priveae Briq. Pitraea Turcz. - 1 species Priva Adans. - 20 species
Verbeneae Dumort. Glandularia J.F.Gmel. - 88 species Hierobotana Briq. - 1 species Junellia Moldenke - 38 species Mulguraea N.O'Leary & P.Peralta - 11 species Verbena L. (verbenas/vervains) - 57 species
Unassigned Dipyrena Hook. - 1 species Rhaphithamnus Miers - 2 species
Excluded genera Various genera formerly included in the family Verbenaceae are now treated under other families: Moved to Acanthaceae Avicennia L.
Moved to Lamiaceae
Amasonia L.f. Brachysola (F.Muell.) Rye Callicarpa L. Caryopteris Bunge Chloanthes R.Br. Clerodendrum L. Congea Roxb. Cornutia L. Cyanostegia Turcz. Dicrastylis J.Drumm. ex Harv. Discretitheca P.D.Cantino Faradaya F.Muell. Garrettia H.R.Fletcher Glossocarya Wall. ex Griff. Gmelina L. Hemiphora (F.Muell.) F.Muell. Holmskioldia Retz. Hosea Ridl. Hymenopyramis Wall. ex Griff. Kalaharia Baill. Karomia Dop Lachnostachys Hook. Mallophora Endl. Monochilus Fisch. & C.A.Mey. Newcastelia F.Muell. Oncinocalyx F.Muell. Oxera Labill. Peronema Jack Petitia Jacq. Petraeovitex Oliv. Physopsis Turcz. Pityrodia R.Br. Premna L. Pseudocarpidium Millsp. Pseudocaryopteris P.D.Cantino Rotheca Raf. Schnabelia Hand.-Mazz. Spartothamnella Briq. Sphenodesme Jack Symphorema Roxb. Tectona L.f. Teijsmanniodendron Koord. Teucridium Hook.f. Tripora P.D.Cantino Vitex L.
Moved to Oleaceae Dimetra Kerr Nyctanthes L.
Moved to Orobanchaceae
Asepalum Marais Cyclocheilon Oliv. Nesogenes A.DC.
Moved to Phrymaceae Phryma L.
Moved to Stilbaceae
Campylostachys Kunth Euthystachys A.DC. Stilbe P.J.Bergius Thesmophora Rourke
References
External links
Verbenaceae of Mongolia in FloraGREIF. Verbenaceae in BoDD – Botanical Dermatology Database