The Malpighiales comprise one of the largest orders of flowering plants, containing about 36 families and more than species, about 7.8% of the eudicots. The order is very diverse, containing plants as different as the willow, violet, poinsettia, manchineel, rafflesia and coca plant, and are hard to recognize except with molecular phylogenetic evidence. It is not part of any of the classification systems based only on plant morphology. Molecular clock calculations estimate the origin of stem group Malpighiales at around 100 million years ago (Mya) and the origin of crown group Malpighiales at about 90 Mya.
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)).
20 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.
Achariaceae Family: Achariaceae,
Acharia Genus Acharia: Acharia tragodes Thunb. endemic
Ceratiosicyos Genus Ceratiosicyos: Ceratiosicyos laevis (Thunb.) A.Meeuse, indigenous
Guthriea Genus Guthriea: Guthriea capensis Bolus, indigenous
Kiggelaria Genus Kiggelaria: Kiggelaria africana L. indigenous
Rawsonia Genus Rawsonia: Rawsonia lucida Harv. & Sond. indigenous
Xylotheca Genus Xylotheca: Xylotheca kraussiana Hochst. indigenous
Chrysobalanaceae Family: Chrysobalanaceae,
Parinari Genus Parinari: Parinari capensis Harv. indigenous Parinari capensis Harv. subsp. capensis, indigenous Parinari capensis Harv. subsp. incohata F.White, indigenous Parinari curatellifolia Planch. ex Benth. indigenous
Clusiaceae Family: Clusiaceae,
Clusia Genus Clusia: Clusia rosea Jacq. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive
Garcinia Genus Garcinia: Garcinia gerrardii Harv. ex Sim, indigenous Garcinia livingstonei T.Anderson, indigenous
Dichapetalaceae Family: Dichapetalaceae,
Dichapetalum Genus Dichapetalum: Dichapetalum cymosum (Hook.) Engl. indigenous
Tapura Genus Tapura: Tapura fischeri Engl. indigenous
Elatinaceae Family: Elatinaceae,
Bergia Genus Bergia: Bergia anagalloides E.Mey. ex Fenzl, indigenous Bergia capensis L. indigenous Bergia decumbens Planch. ex Harv. indigenous Bergia glomerata L.f. endemic Bergia pentheriana Keissl. indigenous Bergia polyantha Sond. indigenous Bergia salaria Bremek. indigenous
Elatine Genus Elatine: Elatine ambigua Wight, indigenous Elatine triandra Schkuhr, indigenous
Erythroxylaceae Family: Erythroxylaceae,
Erythroxylum Genus Erythroxylum: Erythroxylum delagoense Schinz, indigenous Erythroxylum emarginatum Thonn. indigenous Erythroxylum pictum E.Mey. ex Sond. endemic
Nectaropetalum Genus Nectaropetalum: Nectaropetalum capense (Bolus) Stapf & Boodle, endemic Nectaropetalum zuluense (Schonland) Corbishley, endemic
Euphorbiaceae
Family: Euphorbiaceae, 47 genera have been recorded. Not all are necessarily currently accepted.
Genus Acalypha: Genus Adenocline: Genus Alchornea: Genus Aleurites: Genus Anisophyllum: Genus Anthacantha: Genus Arthrothamnus: Genus Breynia: Genus Caperonia: Genus Cavacoa Genus Cephalocroton: Genus Chamaesyce: Genus Chrozophora: Genus Clutia: Genus Croton: Genus Ctenomeria: Genus Dactylanthes: Genus Dalechampia: Genus Erythrococca: Genus Euphorbia: Genus Excoecaria: Genus Galarhoeus: Genus Homalanthus: Genus Jatropha: Genus Leidesia: Genus Macaranga: Genus Manihot: Genus Medusea: Genus Mercurialis: Genus Micrococca: Genus Monadenium: Genus Pedilanthus: Genus Pterococcus: Genus Ricinus: Genus Sapium: Genus Schinziophyton: Genus Sclerocroton: Genus Seidelia: Genus Shirakiopsis: Genus Spirostachys: Genus Suregada: Genus Synadenium: Genus Tithymalus: Genus Tragia: Genus Tragiella: Genus Treisia: Genus Vernicia:
Hypericaceae Family: Hypericaceae,
Hypericum Genus Hypericum: Hypericum aethiopicum Thunb. indigenous Hypericum aethiopicum Thunb. subsp. aethiopicum, indigenous Hypericum aethiopicum Thunb. subsp. sonderi (Bredell) N.Robson, indigenous Hypericum androsaemum L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive Hypericum canariense L. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised, invasive Hypericum forrestii (Chitt.) N.Robson, not indigenous, naturalised Hypericum hookerianum Wight & Arn. not indigenous, naturalised Hypericum lalandii Choisy, indigenous Hypericum natalense J.M.Wood & M.S.Evans, indigenous Hypericum perforatum L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive Hypericum pseudohenryi N.Robson, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive Hypericum revolutum Vahl, indigenous Hypericum revolutum Vahl subsp. revolutum, indigenous Hypericum roeperianum G.W.Schimp. ex A.Rich. indigenous Hypericum roeperianum G.W.Schimp. ex A.Rich. var. roeperianum, indigenous Hypericum wilmsii R.Keller, indigenous
Linaceae Family: Linaceae,
Hugonia Genus Hugonia: Hugonia orientalis Engl. indigenous
Linum Genus Linum: Linum acuticarpum C.M.Rogers, endemic Linum adustum E.Mey. ex Planch. endemic Linum aethiopicum Thunb. endemic Linum africanum L. endemic Linum brevistylum C.M.Rogers, endemic Linum comptonii C.M.Rogers, endemic Linum esterhuyseniae C.M.Rogers, endemic Linum gracile Planch. endemic Linum heterostylum C.M.Rogers, endemic Linum pungens Planch. endemic Linum quadrifolium L. endemic Linum thesioides Bartl. endemic Linum thunbergii Eckl. & Zeyh. indigenous Linum usitatissimum L. not indigenous, cultivated, naturalised Linum villosum C.M.Rogers, endemic
Malpighiaceae Family: Malpighiaceae,
Acridocarpus Genus Acridocarpus: Acridocarpus natalitius A.Juss. indigenous Acridocarpus natalitius A.Juss. var. linearifolius Launert, indigenous Acridocarpus natalitius A.Juss. var. natalitius, indigenous
Sphedamnocarpus Genus Sphedamnocarpus: Sphedamnocarpus pruriens (A.Juss.) Szyszyl. indigenous Sphedamnocarpus pruriens (A.Juss.) Szyszyl. subsp. galphimiifolius (A.Juss.) P.D.de Villiers & D.J.B, indigenous Sphedamnocarpus pruriens (A.Juss.) Szyszyl. subsp. pruriens, indigenous Sphedamnocarpus transvalicus (Kuntze) Burtt Davy, accepted as Sphedamnocarpus pruriens (A.Juss.) Szyszyl. subsp. galphimiifolius (A.Juss.) P.D.de Villiers & D.J.B, present
Triaspis Genus Triaspis: Triaspis glaucophylla Engl. endemic Triaspis hypericoides (DC.) Burch. indigenous Triaspis hypericoides (DC.) Burch. subsp. canescens (Engl.) Immelman, indigenous Triaspis hypericoides (DC.) Burch. subsp. hypericoides, indigenous Triaspis hypericoides (DC.) Burch. subsp. nelsonii (Oliv.) Immelman, indigenous
Ochnaceae Family: Ochnaceae,
Brackenridgea Genus Brackenridgea: Brackenridgea zanguebarica Oliv. indigenous
Ochna Genus Ochna: Ochna arborea Burch. ex DC. indigenous Ochna arborea Burch. ex DC. var. arborea, indigenous Ochna arborea Burch. ex DC. var. oconnorii (E.Phillips) Du Toit, indigenous Ochna barbosae N.Robson, indigenous Ochna confusa Burtt Davy & Greenway, indigenous Ochna gamostigmata du Toit, indigenous Ochna glauca I.Verd. indigenous Ochna holstii Engl. indigenous Ochna inermis (Forssk.) Schweinf. indigenous Ochna natalitia (Meisn.) Walp. indigenous Ochna pretoriensis E.Phillips, indigenous Ochna pulchra Hook.f. indigenous Ochna serrulata (Hochst.) Walp. indigenous
Passifloraceae Family: Passifloraceae,
Adenia Genus Adenia: Adenia digitata (Harv.) Engl. indigenous Adenia fruticosa Burtt Davy, indigenous Adenia fruticosa Burtt Davy subsp. fruticosa, endemic Adenia fruticosa Burtt Davy subsp. simplicifolia W.J.de Wilde, indigenous Adenia fruticosa Burtt Davy subsp. trifoliata W.J.de Wilde, endemic Adenia glauca Schinz, indigenous Adenia gummifera (Harv.) Harms, indigenous Adenia gummifera (Harv.) Harms var. gummifera, indigenous Adenia hastata (Harv.) Schinz, indigenous Adenia hastata (Harv.) Schinz var. glandulifera W.J.de Wilde, indigenous Adenia hastata (Harv.) Schinz var. hastata, indigenous Adenia natalensis W.J.de Wilde, endemic Adenia repanda (Burch.) Engl. indigenous Adenia spinosa Burtt Davy, indigenous Adenia wilmsii Harms, endemic
Basananthe Genus Basananthe: Basananthe pedata (Baker f.) W.J.de Wilde, indigenous Basananthe polygaloides (Hutch. & K.Pearce) W.J.de Wilde, endemic Basananthe sandersonii (Harv.) W.J.de Wilde, indigenous Basananthe triloba (Bolus) W.J.de Wilde, indigenous
Paropsia Genus Paropsia: Paropsia braunii Gilg, indigenous
Passiflora Genus Passiflora: Passiflora caerulea L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive Passiflora edulis Sims, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive Passiflora foetida L. not indigenous, naturalised Passiflora manicata (Juss.) Pers. not indigenous, naturalised Passiflora mollissima (Kunth) L.H.Bailey, accepted as Passiflora tripartita Breiter var. mollissima (Kunth) Holm-Niels. & P.Jorg. not indigenous, naturalised Passiflora suberosa L. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive Passiflora subpeltata Ortega, not indigenous, naturalised, invasive Passiflora tripartita Breiter var. mollissima (Kunth) Holm-Niels. & P.Jorg. not indigenous, naturalised, invasive
Schlechterina Genus Schlechterina: Schlechterina mitostemmatoides Harms, indigenous
Phyllanthaceae Family: Phyllanthaceae,
Andrachne Genus Andrachne: Andrachne ovalis (E.Mey. ex Sond.) Mull.Arg. indigenous
Antidesma Genus Antidesma: Antidesma venosum E.Mey. ex Tul. indigenous
Bridelia Genus Bridelia: Bridelia cathartica G.Bertol. indigenous Bridelia cathartica G.Bertol. subsp. cathartica, indigenous Bridelia cathartica G.Bertol. var. melanthesoides forma melanthesoides, indigenous Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill. indigenous Bridelia mollis Hutch. indigenous
Cleistanthus Genus Cleistanthus: Cleistanthus schlechteri (Pax) Hutch. indigenous Cleistanthus schlechteri (Pax) Hutch. var. schlechteri, indigenous
Flueggea Genus Flueggea: Flueggea verrucosa (Thunb.) G.L.Webster, endemic Flueggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Voigt, indigenous Flueggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Voigt subsp. virosa, indigenous
Heywoodia Genus Heywoodia: Heywoodia lucens Sim, indigenous
Hymenocardia Genus Hymenocardia: Hymenocardia ulmoides Oliv. indigenous Hymenocardia ulmoides Oliv. var. capensis Pax, accepted as Hymenocardia ulmoides Oliv. indigenous
Lachnostylis Genus Lachnostylis: Lachnostylis bilocularis R.A.Dyer, endemic Lachnostylis hanekomii R.H.Archer & J.C.Manning, endemic Lachnostylis hirta (L.f.) Mull.Arg. endemic
Margaritaria Genus Margaritaria: Margaritaria discoidea (Baill.) G.L.Webster, indigenous Margaritaria discoidea (Baill.) G.L.Webster var. fagifolia (Pax) Radcl.-Sm. indigenous Margaritaria discoidea (Baill.) G.L.Webster var. nitida (Pax) Radcl.-Sm. indigenous
Phyllanthus Genus Phyllanthus: Phyllanthus asperulatus Hutch. indigenous