The anthophytes are a grouping of plant taxa bearing flower-like reproductive structures. They were formerly thought to be a clade comprising plants bearing flower-like structures. The group contained the angiosperms - the extant flowering plants, such as roses and grasses - as well as the Gnetales and the extinct Bennettitales.
Detailed morphological and molecular studies have shown that the group is not actually monophyletic, with proposed floral homologies of the gnetophytes and the angiosperms having evolved in parallel. This makes it easier to reconcile molecular clock data that suggests that the angiosperms diverged from the gymnosperms around .
Some more recent studies have used the word anthophyte to describe a group which includes the angiosperms and a variety of fossils (glossopterids, Pentoxylon, Bennettitales, and Caytonia), but not the Gnetales.
23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.
The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).
Listing The flowering plant diversity checklists include historical taxa recorded from the region, and the recognised taxa with which they are considered synonymous. Endemic, indigenous, and invasive taxa are labelled.
Acorales List of Acorales of South Africa – Order: Acorales,
One family is represented: Family:Acoraceae, (1 species) Acorus calamus L. not indigenous
Alismatales List of Alismatales of South Africa – Order: Alismatales.
11 families are represented: Alismataceae, Aponogetonaceae, Araceae, Cymodoceaceae, Hydrocharitaceae, Juncaginaceae, Lemnaceae, Limnocharitaceae, Potamogetonaceae, Ruppiaceae, Zosteraceae
Apiales List of Apiales of South Africa – Order: Apiales,
Two families are represented: Apiaceae Pittosporaceae
Aquifoliales List of Aquifoliales of South Africa – Order: Aquifoliales,
One family is represented: Family: Aquifoliaceae, Ilex crocea Thunb. accepted as Elaeodendron croceum (Thunb.) DC. Ilex mitis (L.) Radlk. indigenous Ilex mitis (L.) Radlk. var. mitis, indigenous
Arecales List of Arecales of South Africa – Order: Arecales:
One family is represented: Family: Arecaceae, Borassus aethiopum Mart. indigenous Hyphaene coriacea Gaertn. indigenous Hyphaene petersiana Klotzsch ex Mart. indigenous Jubaeopsis afra Becc. endemic Livistona chinensis (Jacq.) R.Br. ex Mart. not indigenous, cultivated Phoenix canariensis Chabaud, not indigenous, cultivated, invasive Phoenix reclinata Jacq. indigenous Raphia australis Oberm. & Strey, indigenous Washingtonia filifera (L.Linden) H.Wendl. not indigenous, cultivated Washingtonia robusta H.Wendl. not indigenous, cultivated, invasive
Asparagales List of Asparagales of South Africa – Order: Asparagales,
14 families are represented: Agapanthaceae Agavaceae Alliaceae Amaryllidaceae Asparagaceae Asphodelaceae Hemerocallidaceae Hyacinthaceae Hypoxidaceae Iridaceae Lanariaceae Orchidaceae Ruscaceae Tecophilaeaceae
Asterales List of Asterales of South Africa – Order: Asterales,
Five families are represented: Family: Asteraceae, Family: Campanulaceae, Family: Goodeniaceae, Family: Lobeliaceae, Family: Menyanthaceae,
Boraginales List of Boraginales of South Africa – Order: Boraginales,
One family is represented: Family: Boraginaceae
Brassicales List of Brassicales of South Africa – Order: Brassicales,
Six families are represented: Family: Brassicaceae, Family: Capparaceae, Family: Cleomaceae, Family: Resedaceae, Family: Salvadoraceae, Family: Tropaeolaceae,
Bruniales List of Bruniales of South Africa – Order: Bruniales,
One family is represented: Family: Bruniaceae,
Buxales List of Buxales of South Africa – Order: Buxales,
One family is represented: Family: Buxaceae, Buxus macowanii Oliv. endemic Buxus natalensis (Oliv.) Hutch. endemic
Canellales List of Canellales of South Africa – Order: Canellales,
One family is represented: Family: Canellaceae, Warburgia salutaris (G.Bertol.) Chiov. indigenous
Caryophyllales List of Caryophyllales of South Africa – Order: Caryophyllales,
21 families are represented: Family: Aizoaceae, Family: Amaranthaceae, Family: Anacampserotaceae, Family: Basellaceae, Family: Cactaceae, Family: Caryophyllaceae, Family: Corbichoniaceae, Family: Didiereaceae, Family: Droseraceae, Family: Frankeniaceae, Family: Gisekiaceae, Family: Kewaceae, Family: Limeaceae, Family: Lophiocarpaceae, Family: Molluginaceae, Family: Nyctaginaceae, Family: Phytolaccaceae, Family: Plumbaginaceae, Family: Polygonaceae, Family: Portulacaceae, Family: Tamaricaceae,
Celastrales List of Celastrales of South Africa – Order: Celastrales,
One family is represented: Family: Celastraceae,
Ceratophyllales List of Ceratophyllales of South Africa – Order: Ceratophyllales,
One family is represented:
Family: Ceratophyllaceae, Ceratophyllum demersum L. indigenous Ceratophyllum demersum L. var. demersum, indigenous Ceratophyllum demersum L. var. demersum forma demersum, accepted as Ceratophyllum demersum L. var. demersum, present Ceratophyllum muricatum Cham. indigenous Ceratophyllum muricatum Cham. subsp. muricatum, indigenous Ceratophyllum submersum L. indigenous Ceratophyllum submersum L. subsp. muricatum (Cham.) Wilmot-Dear var. echinatum, accepted as Ceratophyllum muricatum Cham. subsp. muricatum, present Ceratophyllum submersum L. subsp. submersum var. submersum, indigenous
Commelinales List of Commelinales of South Africa – Order: Commelinales,
Three families are represented: Family: Commelinaceae, Family: Haemodoraceae, Family: Pontederiaceae,
Cornales List of Cornales of South Africa – Order: Cornales,
Four families are represented: Family: Curtisiaceae, Curtisia dentata (Burm.f.) C.A.Sm. indigenous Family: Grubbiaceae, Grubbia rosmarinifolia P.J.Bergius, indigenous Grubbia rosmarinifolia P.J.Bergius subsp. gracilis (T.M.Salter) Carlquist, endemic Grubbia rosmarinifolia P.J.Bergius subsp. hirsuta (E.Mey. ex DC.) Carlquist, endemic Grubbia rosmarinifolia P.J.Bergius subsp. rosmarinifolia var. pinifolia, endemic Grubbia rosmarinifolia P.J.Bergius subsp. rosmarinifolia var. rosmarinifolia, endemic Grubbia rourkei Carlquist, endemic Grubbia tomentosa (Thunb.) Harms, endemic Family: Hydrostachyaceae, Hydrostachys polymorpha Klotzsch ex A.Br. indigenous Family: Loasaceae, Kissenia capensis Endl. indigenous
Crossosomatales List of Crossosomatales of South Africa – Order: Crossosomatales,
Two families are represented: Family: Aphloiaceae, Aphloia theiformis (Vahl) Benn. indigenous Family: Geissolomataceae, Geissoloma marginatum (L.) Juss. endemic
Cucurbitales List of Cucurbitales of South Africa – Order: Cucurbitales,
Two families are represented: Family: Begoniaceae, Family: Cucurbitaceae,
Dioscoreales List of Dioscoreales of South Africa – Order: Dioscoreales,
Three families are represented: Family: Burmanniaceae, Family: Dioscoreaceae, Family: Nartheciaceae,
Dipsacales List of Dipsacales of South Africa – Order: Dipsacales,
Three families are represented: Family: Caprifoliaceae, Family: Dipsacaceae, Family: Valerianaceae,
Ericales List of Ericales of South Africa – Order: Ericales,
11 families are represented: Family: Actinidiaceae, Family: Balsaminaceae, Family: Ebenaceae, Family: Ericaceae, Family: Lecythidaceae, Family: Maesaceae, Family: Myrsinaceae, Family: Primulaceae, Family: Roridulaceae, Family: Sapotaceae, Family: Theophrastaceae,
Escallionales List of Escalloniales of South Africa – Order: Escalloniales,
One family is represented:
Family: Escalloniaceae, Choristylis rhamnoides Harv., accepted as Itea rhamnoides (Harv.) Kubitzki, indigenous Itea rhamnoides (Harv.) Kubitzki, indigenous
Fabales List of Fabales of South Africa – Order: Fabales,
Two families are represented: Family: Fabaceae, Family: Polygalaceae,
Fagales List of Fagales of South Africa – Order: Fagales,
Five families are represented: Family: Betulaceae, Family: Casuarinaceae, Family: Fagaceae, Family: Juglandaceae, Family: Myricaceae,
Gentianales List of Gentianales of South Africa – Order: Gentianales,
Five families are represented: Family: Apocynaceae, Family: Asclepiadaceae, Family: Gentianaceae, Family: Loganiaceae, Family: Rubiaceae,
Geraniales List of Geraniales of South Africa – Order: Geraniales,
Two families are represented: Family: Geraniaceae, Family: Melianthaceae,
Gunnerales List of Gunnerales of South Africa – Order: Gunnerales,
Two families are represented: Family: Gunneraceae, Gunnera perpensa L. indigenous Family: Myrothamnaceae, Myrothamnus flabellifolius Welw. indigenous
Huerteales List of Huerteales of South Africa – Order: Huerteales,
One family is represented: Family: Gerrardinaceae, Genus Gerrardina Gerrardina foliosa Oliv. indigenous
Icacinales List of Icacinales of South Africa – Order: Icacinales,
One family is represented: Family: Icacinaceae, Genus Apodytes Apodytes abbottii Potgieter & A.E.van Wyk, endemic Apodytes dimidiata E.Mey. ex Arn. indigenous Apodytes dimidiata E.Mey. ex Arn. subsp. Dimidiata, indigenous Apodytes geldenhuysii A.E.van Wyk & Potgieter, endemic Genus Cassinopsis Cassinopsis ilicifolia (Hochst.) Kuntze, indigenous Cassinopsis tinifolia Harv. indigenous Genus Pyrenacantha Pyrenacantha grandiflora Baill. indigenous Pyrenacantha kaurabassana Baill. indigenous Pyrenacantha scandens Planch. ex Harv. indigenous
Lamiales List of Lamiales of South Africa – Order: Lamiales,
15 families are represented: Family: Acanthaceae, Family: Bignoniaceae, Family: Gesneriaceae, Family: Lamiaceae, Family: Lentibulariaceae, Family: Linderniaceae, Family: Martyniaceae, Family: Oleaceae, Family: Orobanchaceae, Family: Paulowniaceae, Family: Pedaliaceae, Family: Plantaginaceae, Family: Scrophulariaceae, Family: Stilbaceae, Family: Verbenaceae,
Laurales List of Laurales of South Africa – Order: Laurales,
Two families are represented: Family: Lauraceae, Genus Cassytha Cassytha ciliolata Nees, indigenous Cassytha filiformis L. indigenous Cassytha pondoensis Engl. endemic Cassytha pondoensis Engl. var. pondoensis, not indigenous, naturalised Genus Cinnamomum Cinnamomum camphora (L.) J.Presl, indigenous Genus Cryptocarya Cryptocarya angustifolia E.Mey. ex Meisn. endemic Cryptocarya latifolia Sond. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive Cryptocarya liebertiana Engl. endemic Cryptocarya myrtifolia Stapf, endemic Cryptocarya transvaalensis Burtt Davy, indigenous Cryptocarya woodii Engl. endemic Cryptocarya wyliei Stapf, indigenous Genus Dahlgrenodendron Dahlgrenodendron natalense (J.H.Ross) J.J.M.van der Merwe & A.E.van Wyk, indigenous Genus Gyrocarpus Gyrocarpus americanus Jacq. endemic Gyrocarpus americanus Jacq. subsp. africanus Kubitzki, endemic Genus Litsea Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C.B.Rob. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive Litsea sebifera Pers. not indigenous, naturalised Genus Ocotea Ocotea bullata (Burch.) Baill. indigenous Ocotea kenyensis (Chiov.) Robyns & R.Wilczek, indigenous Genus Persea Persea americana Mill. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive Family: Monimiaceae, Genus Xymalos Xymalos monospora (Harv.) Baill. indigenous
Liliales