View source for Gnetophyta

{{Taxobox
| color = lightgreen
| name = Gnetophyta
| image = Welwitchia.jpg
| image_caption = ''[[Welwitschia mirabilis]]''
| regnum = [[Plant]]ae
| divisio = '''Gnetophyta'''
| classis = '''Gnetopsida'''
| subdivision_ranks = Orders
| subdivision = 
*[[Gnetum|Gnetales]]
*[[Welwitschia|Welwitschiales]]
*[[Ephedra (genus)|Ephedrales]]
}}

The [[plant]] division '''Gnetophyta''' or gnetophytes comprise three related families of [[woody plant]]s grouped in the [[gymnosperm]]s. The gnetophytes differ from other gymnosperms in having [[vessel element]]s as in the [[flowering plant]]s ('''Angiosperms''' or '''Magnoliophytes'''), and on the basis of [[Morphology (biology)|morphological]] data it has been suggested that Gnetophytes may be the group of [[spermatophyte]]s most closely related to the flowering plants. [[Molecular phylogeny|Molecular data]] have suggested a closer relationship to other gymnosperms than to angiosperms, and the conflict between morphological and molecular data has not yet been resolved.

Gnetophyta contains only one class of living plants, class '''Gnetopsida'''. The class includes three extant genera, which in some classifications are placed in a single order (Gnetales) but in others distributed among three orders, each containing a single family and genus:
*Gnetales: Gnetaceae; ''[[Gnetum]]''
*Welwitschiales: Welwitschiaceae; ''[[Welwitschia]]''
*Ephedrales: Ephedraceae; ''[[Ephedra (genus)|Ephedra]]''

The '''Gnetales''' consist of a single genus, ''[[Gnetum]]'', which are mostly [[wood]]y climbers in tropical forests. However, the most well-known member of this group, ''[[Gnetum gnemon]]'', is a tree. The seeds produced are used to produce a crispy snack known as '[[Keropok Belinjau]]' in [[Malaysia]] and [[Indonesia]]. The Malay name for this plant is 'belinjau'.

The '''Welwitschiales''' comprise only one species, [[Welwitschia|''Welwitschia mirabilis'']]. It grows only in the deserts of [[Namibia]] and [[Angola]]. The plant is strange in having only two large strap-like leaves for all its life. These grow continuously from the base, and are usually tattered at the ends by flapping in the winds.

The '''Ephedrales''' consist of a single genus ''[[Ephedra (genus)|Ephedra]]'', and are known as the jointfirs because they have long slender branches which bear tiny scale-like leaves at their nodes. ''Ephedra'' is reputed to have [[Ephedra|medicinal properties]], but has some legal controls over it in some juristictions due to potentially harmful and deadly side effects that result from consuming large amounts in a single dose.