The classification is based on various recently published phylogenetic
analyses. Several families are deliberately not classified to order or
subclass to avoid undesirable non-monophyletic taxa as well as redundant
monofamilial taxa. Hence, the phylogenetically basal angiosperms (the "magnoliids"),
most of the monocots, and the phylogenetically basal eudicots are not classified
to subclass. There are only four subclasses, Commelinidae within the monocots
and Caryophyllidae, Rosidae, and Asteridae within the higher eudicots.
Note that the Linnean categories of subclass, order, and family are only
to be conceived as a convenient reference to hierarchical relationships.
Groups of the same rank are not necessarily comparable units unless they
are sister groups.
SUMMARY 1997
ANGIOSPERMS some families not classified to order and the five orders
Magnoliales
Laurales
Aristolochiales
Piperales
Nymphaeales
all other angiosperms are monocots or eudicots
MONOCOTS some families not classified to order and the five orders
Alismatales
Liliales
Asparagales
Dioscoreales
Pandanales
all other monocots belong in subclass Commelinidae
COMMELINIDAE some families not classified to order and the four orders
Commelinales
Bromeliales
Zingiberales
Poales
EUDICOTS some families not classified to order and the two orders
Ranunculales
Trochodendrales
all other eudicots are the higher eudicots
HIGHER
EUDICOTS several families not classified to order and the two
orders
Saxifragales
Santalales
all other higher eudicots belong in the three subclasses
Caryophyllidae, Rosidae, and Asteridae
CARYOPHYLLIDAE several families not classified to order and the order
Caryophyllales
ROSIDAE some families not classified to order and the two orders
Geraniales
Zygophyllales
EUROSIDS
I Rosaceae family not classified to order and the eight
orders
