The Gentianales are an order of flowering plants, included within the asterid clade of eudicots. It comprises more than 16,000 species in about 1,138 genera in 5 families. More than 80% of the species in this order belong to the family Rubiaceae.

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.

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)).

Five families are represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.

Apocynaceae

Family: Apocynaceae, 112 genera have been recorded. Not all are necessarily currently accepted.

Genus Acokanthera: Genus Adenium: Genus Ancylobothrys: Genus Anisotoma: Genus Araujia: Genus Arduina: Genus Asclepias: Genus Aspidoglossum: Genus Astephanus: Genus Australluma: Genus Brachystelma: Genus Callichilia: Genus Calotropis: Genus Caralluma: Genus Carandas: Genus Carissa: Genus Cascabela: Genus Catharanthus: Genus Ceropegia: Genus Chlorocyathus: Genus Cordylogyne: Genus Cryptolepis: Genus Cryptostegia: Genus Curroria: Genus Cynanchum: Genus Daemia: Genus Dichaelia: Genus Diplorhynchus: Genus Duvalia: Genus Echites: Genus Ectadiopsis: Genus Ectadium: Genus Emplectanthus: Genus Ephippiocarpa: Genus Eustegia: Genus Fanninia: Genus Fockea: Genus Funastrum: (syn. Sarcostemma) Genus Gomphocarpus: Genus Gonioma: Genus Gymnema: Genus Holarrhena: Genus Hoodia: Genus Huernia: Genus Huerniopsis: Genus Ischnolepis: Genus Jasminonerium: Genus Kanahia: Genus Lagarinthus: Genus Landolphia: Genus Larryleachia: Genus Lavrania: Genus Luckhoffia: Genus Macropetalum: Genus Marsdenia: Genus Microloma: Genus Miraglossum: Genus Mondia: Genus Nerium: Genus Notechidnopsis: Genus Oncinema: Genus Oncinotis: Genus Ophionella: Genus Orbea: Genus Orbeanthus: Genus Orbeopsis: Genus Orthanthera: Genus Pachycarpus: Genus Pachycymbium: Genus Pachypodium: Genus Parapodium: Genus Pectinaria: Genus Pentarrhinum: Genus Pentopetia: Genus Pergularia: Genus Periglossum: Genus Petopentia: Genus Piaranthus: Genus Quaqua: Genus Raphionacme: Genus Rauvolfia: Genus Rhyssolobium: Genus Richtersveldia: Genus Riocreuxia: Genus Schizoglossum: Genus Schizostephanus: Genus Secamone: Genus Sisyranthus: Genus Sphaerocodon: Genus Stapelia: Genus Stapeliopsis: Genus Stenostelma: Genus Stomatostemma: Genus Strophanthus: Genus Tabernaemontana: Genus Tacazzea: Genus Tavaresia: Genus Telosma: Genus Tenaris: Genus Thevetia: Genus Trachycalymma: Genus Trichocaulon: Genus Tridentea: Genus Tromotriche: Genus Vinca: Genus Vincetoxicum (syn. Tylophora) Genus Voacanga: Genus Woodia: Genus Wrightia: Genus Xysmalobium:

Asclepiadaceae Family: Asclepiadaceae,

Belonites Genus Belonites: Belonites succulentus (L.f.) E.Mey. accepted as Pachypodium succulentum (L.f.) Sweet, indigenous

Neopectinaria Genus Neopectinaria: Neopectinaria saxatilis (N.E.Br.) Plowes, accepted as Stapeliopsis saxatilis (N.E.Br.) Bruyns, indigenous Neopectinaria saxatilis (N.E.Br.) Plowes var. tulipiflora (C.A.Luckh.) Plowes, accepted as Stapeliopsis saxatilis (N.E.Br.) Bruyns, indigenous Neopectinaria stayneri (M.B.Bayer) Plowes, accepted as Stapeliopsis stayneri (M.B.Bayer) Bruyns, indigenous

Gentianaceae Family: Gentianaceae,

Anthocleista Genus Anthocleista: Anthocleista grandiflora Gilg, indigenous

Chironia Genus Chironia: Chironia albiflora Hilliard, endemic Chironia arenaria E.Mey. endemic Chironia baccifera L. endemic Chironia decumbens Levyns, endemic Chironia jasminoides L. endemic Chironia krebsii Griseb. indigenous Chironia laxa Gilg, endemic Chironia linoides L. indigenous Chironia linoides L. subsp. emarginata (Jaroscz) I.Verd. endemic Chironia linoides L. subsp. linoides, endemic Chironia linoides L. subsp. macrocalyx (Prain) I.Verd. endemic Chironia linoides L. subsp. nana I.Verd. endemic Chironia melampyrifolia Lam. endemic Chironia palustris Burch. indigenous Chironia palustris Burch. subsp. palustris, indigenous Chironia palustris Burch. subsp. rosacea (Gilg) I.Verd. indigenous Chironia palustris Burch. subsp. transvaalensis (Gilg) I.Verd. indigenous Chironia peduncularis Lindl. endemic Chironia peglerae Prain, endemic Chironia purpurascens (E.Mey.) Benth. & Hook.f. indigenous Chironia purpurascens (E.Mey.) Benth. & Hook.f. subsp. humilis (Gilg) I.Verd. indigenous Chironia purpurascens (E.Mey.) Benth. & Hook.f. subsp. purpurascens, indigenous Chironia serpyllifolia Lehm. endemic Chironia stokoei I.Verd. endemic Chironia tetragona L.f. endemic

Enicostema Genus Enicostema: Enicostema axillare (Lam.) A.Raynal, indigenous Enicostema axillare (Lam.) A.Raynal subsp. axillare, indigenous Enicostema hyssopifolium (Willd.) I.Verd. accepted as Enicostema axillare (Lam.) A.Raynal subsp. axillare, present

Exacum Genus Exacum: Exacum oldenlandioides (S.Moore) Klack. indigenous

Lagenias Genus Lagenias: Lagenias pusillus (Eckl. ex Cham.) E.Mey. endemic

Neurotheca Genus Neurotheca: Neurotheca congolana De Wild. & T.Durand, indigenous Neurotheca schlechteri Gilg ex Baker, accepted as Neurotheca congolana De Wild. & T.Durand, present

Orphium Genus Orphium: Orphium frutescens (L.) E.Mey. endemic

Sebaea Genus Sebaea: Sebaea albens (L.f.) Roem. & Schult. endemic Sebaea ambigua Cham. endemic Sebaea amicorum I.M.Oliv. & Beyers, endemic Sebaea aurea (L.f.) Roem. & Schult. endemic Sebaea bojeri Griseb. indigenous Sebaea capitata Cham. & Schltdl. indigenous Sebaea capitata Cham. & Schltdl. var. capitata, endemic Sebaea capitata Cham. & Schltdl. var. sclerosepala (Schinz) Marais, endemic Sebaea compacta A.W.Hill, endemic Sebaea debilis (Welw.) Schinz, accepted as Exochaenium debile Welw. Sebaea elongata E.Mey. endemic Sebaea erosa Schinz, indigenous Sebaea exacoides (L.) Schinz, endemic Sebaea exigua (Oliv.) Schinz, indigenous Sebaea filiformis Schinz, indigenous Sebaea fourcadei Marais, endemic Sebaea grandis (E.Mey.) Steud. accepted as Exochaenium grande (E.Mey.) Griseb. indigenous Sebaea grisebachiana Schinz, endemic Sebaea hymenosepala Gilg, endemic Sebaea junodii Schinz, indigenous Sebaea laxa N.E.Br. endemic Sebaea leiostyla Gilg, indigenous Sebaea longicaulis Schinz, indigenous Sebaea macrophylla Gilg, indigenous Sebaea marlothii Gilg, indigenous Sebaea membranacea A.W.Hill, endemic Sebaea micrantha (Cham. & Schltdl.) Schinz, indigenous Sebaea micrantha (Cham. & Schltdl.) Schinz var. intermedia (Cham. & Schltdl.) Marais, endemic Sebaea micrantha (Cham. & Schltdl.) Schinz var. micrantha, endemic Sebaea minutiflora Schinz, endemic Sebaea minutissima Hilliard & B.L.Burtt, indigenous Sebaea natalensis Schinz, indigenous Sebaea pentandra E.Mey. indigenous Sebaea pentandra E.Mey. var. burchellii (Gilg) Marais, indigenous Sebaea pentandra E.Mey. var. pentandra, indigenous Sebaea pleurostigmatosa Hilliard & B.L.Burtt, endemic Sebaea procumbens A.W.Hill, indigenous Sebaea pusilla Eckl. ex Cham. accepted as Lagenias pusillus (Eckl. ex Cham.) E.Mey. endemic Sebaea radiata Hilliard & B.L.Burtt, endemic Sebaea ramosissima Gilg, endemic Sebaea rara Wolley-Dod, endemic Sebaea rehmannii Schinz, indigenous Sebaea repens Schinz, indigenous Sebaea scabra Schinz, endemic Sebaea schlechteri Schinz, endemic Sebaea sedoides Gilg, indigenous Sebaea sedoides Gilg var. confertiflora (Schinz) Marais, indigenous Sebaea sedoides Gilg var. schoenlandii (Schinz) Marais, indigenous Sebaea sedoides Gilg var. sedoides, indigenous Sebaea spathulata (E.Mey.) Steud. indigenous Sebaea stricta (E.Mey.) Gilg, endemic Sebaea sulphurea Cham. & Schltdl. endemic Sebaea thodeana Gilg, indigenous Sebaea thomasii (S.Moore) Schinz, indigenous Sebaea zeyheri Schinz, indigenous Sebaea zeyheri Schinz subsp. acutiloba (Schinz) Marais, endemic Sebaea zeyheri Schinz subsp. cleistantha (R.A.Dyer) Marais, endemic Sebaea zeyheri Schinz subsp. zeyheri, endemic

Swertia Genus Swertia: Swertia welwitschii Engl. indigenous

Loganiaceae Family: Loganiaceae,

Strychnos Genus Strychnos: Strychnos cocculoides Baker, indigenous Strychnos decussata (Pappe) Gilg, indigenous Strychnos gerrardii N.E.Br. indigenous Strychnos henningsii Gilg, indigenous Strychnos madagascariensis Poir. indigenous Strychnos mitis S.Moore, indigenous Strychnos potatorum L.f. indigenous Strychnos pungens Soler. indigenous Strychnos spinosa Lam. indigenous Strychnos spinosa Lam. subsp. spinosa, indigenous Strychnos usambarensis Gilg, indigenous

Rubiaceae

Family: Rubiaceae, 75 genera have been recorded. Not all are necessarily currently accepted.

Genus Afrocanthium: Genus Agathisanthemum: Genus Alberta: Genus Ancylanthos: Genus Anthospermum: Genus Breonadia: Genus Burchellia: Genus Canthium: Genus Carpacoce: Genus Catunaregam: Genus Cephalanthus: Genus Coddia: Genus Coffea: Genus Conostomium: Genus Coprosma: Genus Coptosperma: Genus Cordylostigma: Genus Crocyllis: Genus Crossopteryx: Genus Diodia: Genus Diplospora: Genus Empogona: Genus Eriosemopsis: Genus Fadogia: Genus Gaillonia: Genus Galium: Genus Galopina: Genus Gardenia: Genus Geophila: Genus Guettarda: Genus Hedyotis: Genus Heinsia: Genus Hymenodictyon: Genus Hyperacanthus: Genus Hypobathrum: Genus Ixora: Genus Keetia: Genus Kohautia: Genus Kraussia: Genus Lagynias: Genus Leptactina: Genus Mitriostigma: Genus Nenax: Genus Oldenlandia: Genus Otiophora: Genus Oxyanthus: Genus Pachystigma: Genus Pavetta: Genus Pentanisia: Genus Pentas: Genus Pentodon: Genus Phylohydrax: Genus Plectronia: Genus Plectroniella: Genus Plocama: Genus Psychotria: Genus Psydrax: Genus Pygmaeothamnus: Genus Pyrostria: Genus Randia: Genus Richardia: Genus Rothmannia: Genus Rubia: Genus Rytigynia: Genus Sericanthe: Genus Sherardia: Genus Spermacoce: Genus Stylocoryne: Genus Tapiphyllum: Genus Tarenna: Genus Tricalysia: Genus Trichostachys: Genus Vangueria:

References