61. Piperaceae

The pepper family. 13 genera and 3,600 tropical species. Piper nigrum is the source of the spice black pepper. The Peperomia genus is known as radiator plant.

60. Phrymaceae

The lopseed family. 13 genera and 210 species mainly native to Australia and North America. Sticky monkey flower (Diplacus aurantiacus), Mimulus, Phryma, Erythranthe, Thyridia.

59. Passifloraceae

The passion flower family. Approx. 27 genera and 750 species. Some well known vines are edible passion fruit (Passiflora edulis), and ornamental maypop (Passiflora incarnata) and running pop (passiflora foetida).

58. Papaveraceae

The poppy family. Approx. 42 genera and 775 species, curiously found all over the world except the tropics. California poppy (Eschscholzia californica - the California state flower), Romneya (Matalija poppy or fried egg flower, above), Papaver somniferum, source of opium, morphine, and codeine - as well as the poppy seeds on your muffin.

57. Pandanaceae

Five genera and 982 tropical species. A mature Pandanus tectorius (also known as Tahitian screwpine) is a striking sight, and although native to the South Pacific, I recall seeing my first in Costa Rica (above).

56. Oxalidaceae

The wood sorrel family. Two genera and 570 species. One genus, Averrhoa, is very small and includes tropical starfruit (Averrhoa carambola). The other genus, Oxalis (above), contains most of this family's species. Many members resemble clover and are therefore sometimes called false shamrocks, whereas the taste is similar to sorrel (Rumex). Some botanists place Averrhoa in its own family, Averrhoaceae.

55. Orobanchaceae

The broomrapes family. Approx. 90 genera and 2000 mostly parasitic species. Best known to me is Indian paintbrush (the Castilleja genus, which itself has around 200 species). Native Americans used the edible flowers to supplement their salads; its nutritional value has been compared to garlic.

54. Orchidaceae

The orchid family, the second largest of all the angiosperms (flowering plants) with approx. 763 genera and 28,000 species (the largest being the aster family with 1,191 genera and 32,913 species). The Vanilla genus is the most economically important. Many others, including Phalaenopsis and Cattleya, are cultivated as ornamentals. The type genus is Orchis.

53. Onagraceae

The evening primrose or willowherb family. 17 genera and approx. 650 species. Fuchsia, Clarkia, Epilobium, and fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium).

52. Nepentheceae

The pitcher plant family. A monotypic family with one tropical genus - Nepenthes - and approx. 150 species. These carnivorous plants attract and capture insects with a syrupy substance inside "pitchers". The largest species have been known to also capture small vertebrates, such as lizards.

51. Myristicaceae

The nutmeg family. 20 genera and approx. 440 tropical species. The famously prized spice Myristica fragans is the source of nutmeg and mace. Some species contain toxic or hallucinogenic alkaloids, whereas trees in this family are valued for their wood. Other genera of interest are Horsfieldia and Knema.

50. Myricaceae

Three genera and approx. 55 species. Wax-myrtle or bayberry (Myrica), sweet-fern (Comptonia), and the rare, monotypic Canacomyrica monticola from New Caledonia.

49. Moringaceae

A single genus family, Moringa, which has 13 tropical species native to Africa, Madagascar and India. Moringa trees are striking trees that bring to mind baobabs, although baobabs (Adansonia) belong to the malvaceae family.

48. Montiaceae

14 genera and approx. 230 species. Miner's lettuce (Claytonia perfoliata), Lewisia (named for the explorer Meriwether Lewis), Montia. Claytonia perfoliata was formerly called Montia perfoliata, and sometimes other Montia species are called miner's lettuce.

47. Menispermaceae

68 genera and approx. 440 mostly tropical species. This family is another source of the toxins in curare. Modern and traditional pharmaceuticals make use of this and other alkaloids present in the family.

46. Melastomataceae

 

A large family with 165 genera and 5115 species. The best known to me is Tibouchina (above), a native of the American tropics and occasionally grown in U.S. gardens for its striking ornamental beauty.

45. Melanthiaceae

The bunchflower family. 17 genera and 173 species. Bear grass (Xerophyllum tenax, above), Trillium, Paris quadrifolia.

44. Marantaceae

The arrowroot or prayer-plant family. 29 genera and approx. 570 mostly tropical species. Arrowroot (Maranta arundinaceae) has long been cultivated for its starchy, edible rhizomes. Calathea, Maranta and Stromanthe are cultivated as houseplants. Some genera, such as Thalia, grow in wetlands.

43. Malpighiaceae

Approx. 73 genera and 1315 mostly tropical American species. Acerola (Malpighia emarginata) is a well known, nutritious fruit resembling a cherry.

42. Loganiaceae

Approx. 13 genera and 400 tropical species, many of them poisonous. The family had been much larger until some species were moved to the Gentianaceae, Gelsemiaceae and other families. The Strychnos genus is the source of the toxic alkaloids strychnine and curare.

41. Linaceae

14 genera and approx. 250 species. Best known is Linum usitatissimum, the source of flax, linen (from the fibers), and linseed oil (from the seeds). The wild form of this cultivar is Linum bienne.

40. Liliaceae

The lily family. 15 genera and approx. 705 species. Lilies (Lilium), tulips (Tulipia), bead lilies (Clintonia), mariposa (Calochortus).

39. Lecythidaceae

Approx. 20 genera and 300 species of tropical plants found in Madagascar, the Pacific Islands, and South America. The Brazil nut (Bertholletia excelsa) is by far the best known; it grows not only in Brazil but throughout the South American tropics, as does the paradise nut (Lecythis), which is also edible.

38. Iridaceae

The iris family. 66 genera and approx. 2240 species. In addition to Iris, other well known ornamental flowers in this family are Crocus, Freesia, and Gladiolus.

37. Hydrangeaceae

Nine genera and approx. 220 species. It had been a larger family until some seven genera were split off to create the Philadelphaceae family. The ornamental shrub Hydrangea macrophylla, a native of Japan, is the most familiar species.

36. Hamamelidaceae

 

The witch-hazel family. Approx. 30 genera and 140 species. Witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), source of the well known astringent, used by Native and non-native Americans alike. Winter hazel (Corylopsis genus). Fothergilla, native to the southeast U.S. Persian ironwood (Parrotia persica), a rare ornamental tree (seen above at Bailey Arboretum in Lattingtown, NY).

35. Haemodoraceae

The bloodwort family. 14 genera and 102 species, mainly found in the Southern Hemisphere. Best known is kangaroo paw (various Anigozanthos and Macropidia species), not surprisingly from Australia.

34. Gunneraceae

 

A single genus family - Gunnera - with 63 species. There used to be a second genus - Myrothamnus - but that one became its own family, Myrothamnaceae. The two are still closely related. My closest encounter with Gunnera was poor man's umbrella (Gunnera insignis) in Costa Rice (above). The leaves can be over five feet wide.

33. Grossulariaceae

The currant or gooseberry family. A single genus, Ribes, with approx. 150 species. Blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum), redcurrant (Ribes rubrum), gooseberry (Ribes uva-crispa).

32. Geraniaceae

The geranium family. Seven genera and 830 species. Geranium (cranesbill), Erodium (filaree, heron's bill, storksbill), California. Yes, there is a genus called California.

31. Gelsemiaceae

This is a small, obscure family consisting of three genera and 12 species. The three genera are: Gelsemium (three species), Mostuea (eight species) and Ptelocarpa (one species). This is a recently reformed family that has been the subject of much reclassification. Swamp jessamine (Gelsemium rankinii) and yellow jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens) are are native to the southeastern U.S. The other species, including the pan-Asiatic heartbreak grass (Gelsemium elegans), are spread throughout the tropics.

30. Erythroxylaceae

The coca family. Four genera and approx. 240 species, the best known being Erythroxylum coca, one of the sources of the drug cocaine. The other "coca plant" is Erythroxylum novogranatense. It is interesting to remember that the original Coca-Cola was exactly what the name suggested: coca extract combined with those of the caffeinated kola nut. The use of active cocaine ended in 1903, after which the soda switched to "cocaine-free coca leaf extract". Another species, Erythroxylum vaccinifolium, is the source of catuaba, a substance used as a stimulant and aphrodisiac by the Indians of the Amazon.

29. Equisetaceae

The horsetail family. A single genus family (Equisetum) with about 20 species. Like cycads, Equisitum are considered "living fossils" - in their case the lineage goes back to the Paleozoic Era. Among their common names are horsetail, due to their appearance, puzzlegrass, and scouring-rush, this due to the fact that the tough stems make good scouring brushes.

28. Droseraceae

The sundew family. Three genera and approx. 180 species, all carnivorous, the most famous being the venus fly trap (Dionaea muscipula). Less well known is the waterwheel plant (Aldrovanda vesiculosa), a sort of aquatic variation of the same idea.

27. Dioscoreaceae

The yam family. Nine genera and approx. 715 species. The familiar edible yam belongs to the Dioscorea genus, which is named after the ancient Greek botanist Pedanius Dioscorides. Some of these yams contain steroidal hormones that can be used for contraception.

26. Dennstaedtiaceae

One of the fern families. 10 genera and 240 species. One of the most common ferns, Pteridium aquilinum (brackenfern), is in this family. The term bracken is synonymous with the genus Pteridium.

25. Cyrillaceae

A tiny family containing only two genera and two species. The one I have encountered is Cyrilla racemiflora, also known as swamp titi. It is native to tropical America and also found in the southeastern U.S.

24. Cycadaceae

The cycad family. Only one genus, Cycas, with approx. 113 species. Cycads have an ancient lineage; they are leftover from the Jurassic period, and native only to the Old World tropics. They generally live a long time, sometimes over 1,000 years. The best collections of cycads I have ever seen, which is one of the best in the world, is at Lotusland in Santa Barbara, CA (above).

23. Crassulaceae

The stonecrop or orpine family. Approx. 35 genera and 1400 species (the number of genera is in dispute). Most people would recognize these plants as succulents. Jade (Crassula ovata), Kalanchoe, Sedum, Dudleya, Sempervivum, Echeveria.