Plant Families: Q to Z

Quillajaceae

Quillaja Family

Quillajaceae is a family of plants that includes a single genus, Quillaja. These evergreen trees and shrubs are known for their saponin-rich bark, which has been used for centuries in traditional medicine and soap-making.

Ripogonaceae

Ripogonum Family

Ripogonaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes only one genus, Ripogonum. These plants are native to Australia and New Zealand and are known for their climbing habit and ornamental foliage.

Rhizophoraceae

Mangrove Family

Rhizophoraceae is a family of tropical and subtropical plants, commonly known as mangroves, that play vital roles in coastal ecosystems and support diverse wildlife.

Rapateaceae

Rapatea Family

A family of flowering plants known as Rapateaceae features showy inflorescences, spirally-arranged leaves, and a unique floral structure. They are prevalent in the tropical regions of South America, with some species found in Africa.

Rosaceae

Rose Family

Rosaceae is a large and diverse family of flowering plants that includes many important fruits, such as apples, pears, peaches, and strawberries. It also includes ornamental trees and shrubs like roses, as well as many wildflowers.

Ranunculaceae

Buttercup Family

Ranunculaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes many familiar species such as buttercups, columbines, and delphiniums. These plants are known for their vibrant colors and unique flower structures.

Rubiaceae

Madder Family

Rubiaceae is a family of flowering plants with over 13,000 species found worldwide, known for their simple leaves and tubular flowers.

Rutaceae

Rue Family

Rutaceae is a family of flowering plants distributed worldwide, known for its aromatic and medicinal properties. The family includes popular trees such as the citrus and ornamental shrubs like the skyflower.

Rhamnaceae

Buckthorn Family

The Rhamnaceae family is a diverse group of flowering plants characterized by their small, inconspicuous flowers and often thorny stems. These woody shrubs and trees are found in temperate and subtropical regions worldwide, with many species used for medicinal or ornamental purposes.

Resedaceae

Mignonette Family

Resedaceae is a family of flowering plants known for their brightly colored, fragrant flowers and unique fruit capsules.

Rousseaceae

Rousseaua Family

Rousseaceae is a small family of flowering plants with only two genera, characterized by their showy flowers and distribution in tropical regions.

Restionaceae

Restio Family

Restionaceae is a family of tufted grass-like plants found mainly in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in South Africa and Australia. They have cylindrical stems with scale-like leaves and are adapted to a variety of habitats from wetlands to dry heaths.

Ruppiaceae

Ruppia Family

The Ruppiaceae family is a group of aquatic flowering plants commonly known as ditch-grasses. They are submerged or emergent, and found in marine, estuarine, and freshwater environments.

Rafflesiaceae

Rafflesia Family

Rafflesiaceae is a family of parasitic flowering plants with the largest known single flower in the world. It is composed of unique and fascinating species that have evolved to live off other host plants.

Rhabdodendraceae

Rhabdodendron Family

Rhabdodendraceae is a small family of flowering plants with only one genus and one species, Rhabdodendron macrophyllum. These plants are native to Southeast Asia and are characterized by their large leaves and showy flowers.

Roridulaceae

Roridula Family

A unique family of carnivorous plants, Roridulaceae consists of only two genera: Roridula and Triphyophyllum. These plants are known for their sticky leaves used to trap insects and are native to South Africa.

Scrophulariaceae

Figwort Family

Scrophulariaceae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the figwort family. The family includes around 210 genera and 3,100 species worldwide, many of which are herbaceous perennials, shrubs or trees.

Solanaceae

Nightshade Family

Solanaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes numerous species with significant economic and cultural importance. Its members include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and tobacco.

Sapindaceae

Soapberry Family

This family includes diverse species of flowering plants found worldwide, ranging from trees to shrubs and vines. Many are valued for their fruit or timber, while others have ornamental or medicinal uses.

Stilbaceae

Stilbe Family

Stilbaceae is a family of flowering plants comprising over 130 species of shrubs and trees. These plants are known for their bright, showy flowers and attractive foliage.

Simaroubaceae

Quassia Family

Simaroubaceae is a family of flowering plants known for their bitter-tasting compounds and medicinal properties. Commonly found in tropical and subtropical regions, these plants are characterized by their pinnately compound leaves and small flowers that often grow in clusters.

Scheuchzeriaceae

Scheuchzeria Family

Scheuchzeriaceae is a small family of flowering plants consisting of only three genera. These aquatic or semi-aquatic plants are found in cold regions across the globe and are known for their unique morphology and adaptation to wet environments.

Sciadopityaceae

Umbrella Pine Family

Sciadopityaceae is a small family of coniferous trees, consisting of only one genus, Sciadopitys. These evergreen trees are native to East Asia and are known for their unique appearance and beautiful foliage.

Saururaceae

Lizard's Tail Family

The Saururaceae family is a group of flowering plants known for their unique flowers and medicinal properties.

Setchellanthaceae

Fern Family

Setchellanthaceae is a family of flowering plants that are native to the Americas. They are characterized by their small size, parasitic lifestyle, and unique reproductive structures.

Strasburgeriaceae

Dielsia Family

Strasburgeriaceae is a small family of flowering plants consisting of only one genus, Strasburgeria. Members of this family are extremely rare and endangered, making them of great conservation importance.

Siparunaceae

Siparunaceae Family

Siparunaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes around 70 species of trees and shrubs. These plants are known for their aromatic leaves and bark and have a broad distribution in tropical regions of the Americas, particularly in Central and South America.

Salicaceae

Willow Family

Salicaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes willows and poplars. These trees are known for their fast growth, simple leaves, and catkins or spikes of flowers. They are ecologically important as pioneers in wetlands and as a source of food and habitat for wildlife.

Sapotaceae

Sapote Family

Sapotaceae is a family of flowering plants known for their latex-producing quality. The family consists of around 800 species that are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical regions.

Smilacaceae

Smilax Family

Smilacaceae is a family of flowering plants commonly known as the greenbrier family. These tough, woody vines are found in temperate and tropical regions around the world.

Selaginellaceae

Spike Moss Family

Selaginellaceae is a family of spikemosses, small plants that resemble mosses, and are characterized by their high tolerance to drought. They are widespread in tropical regions, and have unique anatomical features that allow them to survive in various environments.

Saxifragaceae

Saxifrage Family

Saxifragaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes approximately 600 species of herbs and shrubs. They are found throughout the world, with most species being native to North America, Asia, and Europe.

Santalaceae

Sandalwood Family

Santalaceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of over 40 genera and 400 species. They are commonly known as sandalwoods and are distributed worldwide.

Schlegeliaceae

Schlegelia Family

Schlegeliaceae is a family of flowering plants known for their showy and fragrant flowers. Most of the species in this family are native to tropical regions, and they are highly valued for their ornamental qualities.

Stachyuraceae

Stachyurus Family

Stachyuraceae is a family of flowering plants that includes around 50 species of shrubs and small trees known for their ornamental value.

Stemonuraceae

Stemonurus Family

Stemonuraceae is a family of flowering plants found in tropical regions worldwide. Most species in this family are small shrubs or trees with showy flowers.

Sabiaceae

Sabiaceae Family

Sabiaceae is a small family of flowering plants comprising only 100 species worldwide. These plants are known for their unique and often beautiful flowers, making them popular in horticulture.

Symplocaceae

Sweetleaf Family

Symplocaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes around 330 species of trees and shrubs. They can be found in tropical and temperate regions throughout the world and have significant economic and ecological importance.

Sarraceniaceae

Pitcher Plant Family

The Sarraceniaceae family, commonly known as the pitcher plant family, is a group of carnivorous plants found primarily in North and South America. These unique plants attract, trap, and digest insects to supplement their nutrient-poor habitats.

Schisandraceae

Schisandra Family

Schisandraceae is a family of flowering plants that includes about 25 species of shrubs and trees. They are known for their distinctive fruits and leaves, and some species are used in traditional medicine and herbal remedies.

Stylidiaceae

Triggerplant Family

Stylidiaceae is a fascinating family of flowering plants known for their unique trigger-hair mechanisms and striking morphology.

Styracaceae

Storax Family

Styracaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes around 160 species. These plants are known for their fragrant, bell-shaped flowers and are found in temperate and tropical regions worldwide.

Salviniaceae

Salvinia Family

Salviniaceae is a family of aquatic ferns commonly known as the water fern family. They are small floating plants that can form dense mats on the surface of still or slow-moving freshwater bodies.

Stemonaceae

Stemona Family

Stemonaceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 36 species of herbaceous perennials. These plants are found in tropical regions of Asia and North America, and are characterized by their small, unassuming flowers and simple, grass-like leaves.

Salvadoraceae

Salvadora Family

Salvadoraceae is a family of flowering plants that includes just one genus, Salvadoraceae, consisting of small trees and shrubs found in tropical regions around the world.

Strelitziaceae

Bird of Paradise Family

Strelitziaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes five genera, among them the iconic Strelitzia or bird-of-paradise flowers. These tropical plants are known for their striking and unusual blooms, and many species are cultivated as ornamentals around the world.

Sarcolaenaceae

Sarcochilus Family

A small but fascinating family of flowering plants, Sarcolaenaceae is known for its unique characteristics such as the presence of stipules and the lack of endosperm.

Sphaerosepalaceae

Sphaerosepalum Family

Sphaerosepalaceae: a family of flowering plants with small, inconspicuous flowers and unique spherical buds.

Sarcobataceae

Sarcobatus Family

Sarcobataceae is a family of flowering plants that are primarily found in arid regions of North America. These hardy and adaptable species are known for their unique growth habits and play an important role in the ecology of their habitats.

Staphyleaceae

Bladdernut Family

Staphyleaceae is a family of flowering plants known for their ornamental value and medicinal properties. The family includes around 45 species of trees, shrubs, and vines that are distributed across the Northern Hemisphere.

Surianaceae

Suriana Family

Surianaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes around 20 species of trees and shrubs. These plants are primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions, and many are adapted to dry or arid habitats.

Sladeniaceae

Sladenia Family

Sladeniaceae is a small family of flowering plants consisting of only two genera, Sladenia and Mitriostigma. These plants are native to tropical regions in Africa and have distinctive characteristics such as bisexual flowers and fleshy fruit.

Schoepfiaceae

Schoepfia Family

The Schoepfiaceae family includes parasitic flowering plants that attach to the roots of other plants. They are found in South America, and some species are used for medicinal purposes.

Sphenocleaceae

Sphenoclea Family

The Sphenocleaceae family consists of a few species of perennial herbs and shrubs found in tropical regions.

Schizaeaceae

Schizaea Family

The Schizaeaceae family is a group of ferns with unique characteristics that distinguish them from other fern families. They are primarily tropical and subtropical, with some species found in temperate regions.

Saccolomataceae

Saccoloma Family

Saccolomataceae is a family of aquatic mosses found in freshwater habitats across the world. These delicate plants play an important role in maintaining the health of aquatic ecosystems they inhabit.

Sparganiaceae

Fern Family

Sparganiaceae is a family of aquatic plants. These plants have long, narrow leaves and produce dense flower spikes. They are found in wetlands and shallow waters worldwide.

Simmondsiaceae

Bladder Fern Family

Simmondsiaceae is a family of flowering plants with only one species, Jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis). Jojoba is a desert shrub that produces seeds containing an oil widely used for medicinal, cosmetic, and industrial purposes.

Stegnospermataceae

Diplaziopsis Family

Stegnospermataceae is a small family of flowering plants with only one genus, Stegnosperma. These plants are known for their medicinal properties and are found in South Africa.

Theaceae

Tea Family

Theaceae is a family of flowering plants, known for their showy and fragrant flowers. Many species in this family are cultivated as ornamental plants and used in traditional medicine.

Tetrachondraceae

Tetrachondra Family

Tetrachondraceae is a small family of flowering plants that includes only one genus, Tetrachondra. These plants are typically found in high-altitude habitats in the Himalayas and surrounding regions.

Tetracarpaeaceae

Hornwort Family

Tetracarpaeaceae is a small family of flowering plants with only four genera and around 12 known species. They are found mainly in tropical Asia and are known for their unique morphology and reproductive structures.

Thymelaeaceae

Thymelaeaceae Family

Thymelaeaceae is a family of flowering plants native to tropical and temperate regions worldwide. The plants in this family are known for their fragrant, showy flowers and diverse medicinal properties.

Taxaceae

Yew Family

Taxaceae is a family of coniferous trees and shrubs commonly known as yews. They are distributed worldwide and often used for ornamental purposes, but some species have medicinal properties.

Talinaceae

Talinum Family

Talinaceae is a small family of flowering plants consisting of around 30 species. They are native to the Americas and are characterized by showy flowers with colorful petals and prominent stamens.

Typhaceae

Cattail Family

Typhaceae is a family of aquatic or wetland plants that includes species commonly known as cattails. These plants are characterized by their tall, upright stems and distinctive cylindrical flower spikes, and they grow in a variety of aquatic and marshy habitats.

Tofieldiaceae

False Asphodel Family

Tofieldiaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes around 13 genera and 200 species. These aquatic or semi-aquatic plants are known for their attractive flowers and are primarily found in wetland habitats across the world.

Tamaricaceae

Tamarisk Family

Tamaricaceae is a family of flowering shrubs and trees known for their feathery leaves, small flowers, and tolerance to harsh environmental conditions.

Trigoniaceae

Trigonella Family

Trigoniaceae is a small family of flowering plants, consisting of about 25 species found primarily in tropical regions. The plants within this family exhibit unique morphological characteristics and are of great ecological importance.

Torricelliaceae

Torricellia Family

Torricelliaceae is a family of flowering plants found in tropical and subtropical regions. The family includes six genera and around 30 species of trees and shrubs, known for their distinctive leaves and inflorescences.

Tecophilaeaceae

Tecophilea Family

Tecophilaeaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes around 15 genera and 90 species. These delicate plants are known for their attractive flowers, which come in shades of blue, purple, pink, and white. Many species in this family are native to South America and are popular ornamental plants.

Triuridaceae

Triuris Family

Triuridaceae is a small family of mycoheterotrophic plants characterized by their fleshy stems, tiny flowers, and lack of chlorophyll.

Trimeniaceae

Trimenia Family

Trimeniaceae is a family of evergreen trees or shrubs found in the forests of Asia, Africa, and Madagascar.

Tetramelaceae

Tetrameles Family

Tetramelaceae is a family of flowering plants with only one genus, Tetrameles. These trees are known for their unique characteristics and significant ecological role in tropical ecosystems.

Tovariaceae

Tovaria Family

Tovariaceae is a small family of herbaceous plants characterized by their distinct morphology, which includes alternate leaves and raceme inflorescences.

Tropaeolaceae

Nasturtium Family

The Tropaeolaceae family, commonly known as the nasturtium family, consists of herbaceous flowering plants with distinctive shield-shaped leaves and showy, spurred flowers.

Tetrameristaceae

Tetramerista Family

Tetrameristaceae is a small family of flowering plants. They are mainly found in tropical regions and are characterized by their simple leaves and unique flower structures.

Trochodendraceae

Trochodendron Family

Trochodendraceae is a family of flowering plants that includes only one genus, Trochodendron. The family is notable for its unique characteristics and distribution throughout Asia and the Pacific.

Ticodendraceae

Fern Family

Ticodendraceae is a family of rare and unique flowering plants native to the mountains of Costa Rica.

Thurniaceae

Fern Family

Thurniaceae is a small family of flowering plants, comprising just one genus with six known species. These plants are primarily found in tropical regions of South America, and they are characterized by their attractive flowers and interesting reproductive mechanisms.

Thomandersiaceae

Fern Family

Thomandersiaceae is a small family of flowering plants that includes just two genera and around 20 species in total. These plants are mainly distributed throughout Africa, with a few species found in Southeast Asia.

Tapisciaceae

Bracken Family

Tapisciaceae is a small family of flowering plants that includes only two known species. They are commonly found in tropical regions and have distinctive flowers with fused petals.

Tiganophytaceae

Wood Fern Family

Tiganophytaceae is a small family of flowering plants with only one known species, Tiganophyton karasense. These plants are native to the dry regions of southern Africa.

Ulmaceae

Elm Family

The Ulmaceae family consists of deciduous trees and shrubs known for their unique, asymmetrical leaf shape. They are primarily found in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere and have ecological and economic importance.

Urticaceae

Nettle Family

Urticaceae is a family of flowering plants known for their stinging hairs and asymmetrical leaves. Many species within the family have important cultural, economic, and ecological significance.

Viburnaceae

Viburnum Family

Viburnaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes over 150 species of shrubs and small trees with attractive blooms, colorful foliage, and ornamental fruit.

Velloziaceae

Vellozia Family

Velloziaceae is a family of flowering plants consisting of about 270 species in 12 genera. They are found mainly in tropical South America and Africa.

Vincetoxicum

Horsetail Family

The Vincetoxicum family, also known as the swallow-worts, is a group of flowering plants with milky sap found throughout the world. Many species in this family contain toxins that make them unpalatable to animals and humans alike.

Violaceae

Violet Family

The Violaceae family comprises over 800 species of flowering plants, including many popular cultivated species. These plants are commonly known as violets and pansies and are found throughout the world, primarily in temperate regions.

Verbenaceae

Verbena Family

Verbenaceae is a family of flowering plants that includes about 75 genera and over 3,000 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees. The members of this family are known for their showy inflorescences and aromatic properties.

Vitaceae

Grape Family

Vitaceae is a diverse family of flowering plants with over 800 species worldwide. This family includes many economically important fruit crops such as grapes and kiwifruit, as well as ornamental vines.

Vochysiaceae

Vochysia Family

Vochysiaceae is a diverse family of flowering plants found mainly in the tropics. Many species are characterized by their showy, brightly-colored flowers and distinctive fruit structures.

Vahliaceae

Vahlia Family

Vahliaceae is a family of flowering plants found in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide, including Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The family includes approximately 100 species of trees, shrubs, and herbs, many of which have medicinal properties and cultural importance.

Winteraceae

Winter's Bark Family

Winteraceae is a small family of flowering plants with only six genera and around 90 species. They are mostly found in the Southern Hemisphere, particularly in South America, Australia, and New Zealand. The plants in this family have fragrant flowers and leaves and are known for their medicinal properties.