22. Convolvulaceae

The morning glory or bindweed family. 60 genera and approx. 1650 species, mostly shrubs and vines. Some are regarded as weeds, and some contain psychedelic substances. Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), morning glory, bindweed, dodder. Sweet potatoes are actually distantly related to common potatoes, which are in the Solanaceae family.

21. Commelinaceae

The spiderwort or dayflower family. 41 genera and approx. 730 tropical species, mainly flowers and houseplants. Wandering jew (Tradescantia), dayflower (Commelina).

20. Combretaceae

The buttonwood family. 10 genera and approx. 530 mainly tropical species. The most familiar to me is buttonwood (Conocarpus erectus), which is abundant in the Florida Everglades.

19. Clethraceae

Two genera and 75 species. Although mostly found in the tropics, there are some species native to North America - mountain pepperbush (Clethra acuminata) and sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia). The other genus, Purdiaea, is native to Latin America, with the greatest concentration in Cuba.

18. Casuarinaceae

Four genera and 91 species, all natives of southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania. They are evergreens that resemble conifers but are not. Casuarina trees are widely used for timber and windbreaks. The name "casuarina" is related to the Malay name for "cassowary"; evidently there is some resemblance between the trees and the birds. Above, the very distinctive desert oaks (Allocasuarina decaisneana) of the Australian outback, looking like longleaf pines.

17. Caricaceae

The papaya family. Six genera and approx. 35 species, including the edible fruits papaya or pawpaw (Carica papaya) and babaco (Vasconcellea, above). Papaya is also the source of papain, an enzyme used to tenderize meat.

16. Cardiopteridaceae

Six genera and 43 mostly tropical species. Citronella mucronata, a native of Chile, is used as a landscaping tree. The Citronella genus is not related to the citronella oil used to repel insects; that oil comes from lemongrass (Cymbopogon) in the grass family (Poaceae).

15. Caprifoliaceae

The honeysuckle family. 42 genera and approx. 860 species. Lonicera (honeysuckle), Symphoricarpos (snowberry), Kolkwitzia (beauty bush), Dipsacus (teasel), Scabiosa (pincusion flowers), Plectritis (seablushes), Valeriana (valerians), Valerianella (cornsalads).

14. Cannabaceae

The hemp or hops family. 11 genera and 170 species, the best known being Cannabis sativa, also known as hemp, and Humulus lupulus, also known as hops. The latter is one of the main flavoring agents of beer. For people who like beer and marijuana, this is an important family. The Celtis genus includes the ornamental trees known as hackberries, although they go by other names, such as the sugarberry tree (Celtis laevigata).

13. Cannaceae

The canna lily family. This is a single genus family with 10 tropical species, the best known probably being Canna indica. Used both as an ornamental with showy flowers (above) and also as a source of food starch. The seeds are so hard that they were used in lieu of bullets in 19th century India.

12. Canellaceae

Five genera and 25 tropical species. Canella winterana is cultivated as a spice that tastes similar to cinnamon. Many species are endemic to the Caribbean islands.

11. Calycanthaceae

Also known as the sweetshrubs or spicebushes. Three genera and ten species, the one familiar to me being the sweetshrub or smooth strawberry shrub (Calycanthus floridus).

10. Bromeliaceae

The pineapple family. 51 genera and approx. 3500 mainly tropical species. Pineapple (Ananas comosus), Puya chilensis (above, seen at the Adelaide Botanic Garden), Spanish moss (Tillandsia usneoides - below, seen in Mandeville, LA). The enzyme bromelain is extracted from pineapples and used as a meat tenderizer, as well as for some medical applications.

9. Bixaceae

The achiote family. Three genera and 25 species. Achiote (Bixa orellana) is the source of annatto, a yellow-orange food coloring. This South American native is also sometimes called "lipstick tree".

8. Begoniaceae

The begonia family. Two genera: Hillebrandia, consisting of a single Hawaiian species, and Begonia, consisting of approx. 1800 mostly tropical species. The Begonia genus is among the largest and is well known for its ornamental houseplants and flowers. Begonia was named after Michel Bégon, a governor of St. Domingue, the former French colony.

7. Asphodelaceae

The aloe family. Approx. 40 genera and 900 species. Aloe, Haworthia, Xanthorrhoea. The grass tree above (Xanthorrhoea) is a native of Australia but resides at Lotusland in Santa Barbara, CA.

6. Aristolochiaceae

The birthwort family. Seven genera and 400 species. Dutchman's-pipe (Aristolochia californica). Although used in traditional Chinese medicine, aristolochic acid - a toxin found in many of the species - has been determined to be carcinogenic.

5. Araliaceae

 

The ivy or aralia family. Approx. 45 genera and 254 species. Panax (ginseng), Hedera, Schefflera, Aralia spinosa (devil's walking stick). Not all members are vines or ivy as we usually think of it; note the puka tree above (Meryta sinclairii), a striking native of New Zealand.

4. Aquifoliaceae

The holly family. A single genus, Ilex, containing approx. 500 species including possumhaw, yaupon (Ilex vomitoria), mochi tree, guayusa, and yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis).

3. Apiaceae

The carrot, parsley or celery family. 434 genera and over 3700 species. This family is an herbal powerhouse: Angelica, anise, caraway, carrot, celery, chervil, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, hemlock, lovage, parsley, parsnip, sea holly, to name fifteen of them.

2. Annonaceae

The custard apple family. 108 genera and approx. 2400 species. Custard apple, cherimoya (above), sweetsop, soursop, graviola, pawpaw.