Habit herbs (rarely shrubs); NO betalains Leaves opposite and decussate, simple; entire, stipulate or estipulate; attached to swollen nodes Inflorescences cymose or solitary Special floral characters petals often differentiated into claw and blade, petals often notched at apex, or “pinked”, or variously lobed Calyx 5 (4) sepals distinct or connate Corolla 5 (4) (0) petals distinct; actinomorphic Androecium (3-) 10 stamens, distinct Gynoecium 2-5 carpels; connate; superior; 1 locule with few-many free-central ovules OR 1 locule with 1 basal ovule; styles as many as carpels, simple Fruit= usually a denticidal capsule or achene; peripherally curved embryo (Floral formula: Ca 5 Co 5 A 10 G 2-5 ) Caryophyllidae Caryophyllaceae-- the pink or carnation family (66-75/2,000; cosmopolitan with most in temperate and warm-temperate of Northern Hemisphere)

Habit herbs, shrubs (lianas or trees); NO betalains Leaves variable phyllotaxy, simple; entire, estipulate or stipulate with fused sheathing stipules forming an ochrea Inflorescences solitary or often in paniculiform or spike-like clusters Special floral characters flowers sometimes subtended by calyx-like involucre, hypanthium often present Calyx 2-5 sepals in one series OR 6 (4) sepals in two series Corolla absent Androecium 3-9 stamens, distinct; free or filaments basally adnate to sepals Gynoecium 2-3(4) carpels; connate; superior; 1 locule with 1 basal ovule; styles as many as carpels, simple Fruit= triangular or lenticular achene or small nut; often surrounded by closely appressed inner whorl of calyx; embryo curved or straight (Floral formula: Ca 4-5 OR Co 0 A 3-9 G 2-3 ) Caryophyllidae Polygonaceae -- the buckwheat family (30-49/1,000; mostly north temperate)

Habit herbs, shrubs (sometimes succulent) common in saline habitats; betalains present. Leaves alternate (opposite), simple; entire, estipulate; with mealy pubescence Inflorescences solitary or cymosely clustered in racemiform, paniculiform, or spike-like clusters Special floral characters flowers perfect or imperfect Calyx 3-5 (1-2 or 0), distinct or connate Corolla absent Androecium 1-5 stamens, distinct; opposite the sepals Gynoecium 2(3) carpels; connate; superior(inferior); 1 locule with 1 basal ovule; styles as many as carpels, simple Fruit= Fruit an achene or utricle (utricle=a bladdery achene with the pericarp loose and fragile); coiled or peripherally curved embryo (Floral formula: Ca 3-5 Co 0 A 1-5 G 2-3 ) Caryophyllidae Chenopodiaceae-- the goosefoot family ( /1,500; mostly in temperate and subtropical areas)

Habit shrubs, trees, stem-succulents (stem cylindrical, ribbed or flattened) and epiphytes; betalains present Leaves alternate, simple; entire, often highly reduced and cauducous or absent, estipulate; areoles present, bearing 1-many spines only OR 1-many spines and many glochids Inflorescences solitary and emerging from areoles or bursting through epidermis Special floral characters showy flowers with many floral parts, sunken in stem, stamens sometimes display reflexaction, hypanthium sometimes well- developed Perianth numerous tepals, outer spirals sepaloid, inner spirals petaloid Androecium many stamens, distinct, basally adnate to innermost tepals Gynoecium 2-many carpels; connate; inferior (sunken into stem); 1 locule with many parietal ovules; 1 style, usually hollow, with 2-many stigma lobes Fruit= berry, capsule or spiny burr; embryo curved or straight (Floral formula: T  A  G  ) Caryophyllidae Cactaceae -- the cactus family (20-200/ Debatable!; xeric, warm parts of the New World (Rhipsalis an African disjunct) )

Comments: Great group, many commonly cultivated members including: Cereus, Epiphyllum (Orchid Cactus), Mammillaria, Opuntia (Prickly Pear, edible), Rhipsalis, and Schlumbergera (Christmas Cactus). CAM photosynthesis extremely common in members. The family is typically divided into subfamilies based on various leaf and stem characters. The Cactaceae is a New World family, but there is one disjunct genus, Rhipsalis, that is found on the west coast of Africa. How do you think it got there? This could be evidence that this family as a whole: 1) evolved before the Gondwana continent (Africa, South America, India, Antarctica) had completely split and this family died out except in South America and Africa 2) evolved in South America and was later dispersed to Africa across the Atlantic How could you use taxonomy or phylogenetics to try and answer this question? Caryophyllidae Cactaceae -- comments

Habit herbs, shrubs, trees; betalains present Leaves mostly opposite, simple; entire, often slightly unequal in size, estipulate; herbage commonly sticky glandular Inflorescences cymes, umbels, heads, panicles, racemes, sometimes involucrate Special floral characters petals absent, showy fused petaloid calyx often constricted above ovary, if involucrate: bracts can be showy Calyx 5 sepals, petaloid, connate Corolla absent Androecium 1-30 stamens, distinct or filaments basally connate, free or adnate to calyx tube Gynoecium 1 carpel; superior; 1 locule with 1 basal ovule; 1 style Fruit= achene, often surrounded by hardened base of the calyx tube (Floral formula: Ca 5 Co 0 A 5 G 1 )  -family Caryophyllidae Nyctaginaceae -- the four-o’clock family (30+, 300; distribution: tropical and subtropical worldwide, a few temperate members)