Rosaceae

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Rosaceae
Flower of Rosa arvensis
Flower of Rosa arvensis
Plant Info
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Rosales
Family: Rosaceae
Juss.

Subfamilies
Rosoideae

Spiraeoideae
Maloideae
Amygdaloideae or Prunoideae

Global distribution of Rosaceae
Global distribution of Rosaceae

The Rosaceae or rose family is a large family of plants, with about 3,000-4,000 species in 100-120 genera. Traditionally it has been divided into four subfamilies: Rosoideae, Spiraeoideae, Maloideae, and Amygdaloideae. These subfamilies are primarily diagnosed by the structure of the fruits, although this approach is not followed universally. Recent work has identified that the traditional four subfamilies are not all monophyletic, but the structure of the family is still awaiting complete resolution.

Identified clades include:

Amongst these groups, Neillieae appears to be the sister group to Maloideae, and Dryadeae may be a sibling group to Rosoideae. Other genera, for example Kerria, appear not to belong to any of these groups.

A tongue-in-cheek poem

The rose is a rose
and was always a rose;
But the theory now goes
That the apple's a rose,
And the pear is, and so's
The plum, I suppose.
The dear only knows
What will next prove a rose.
You, of course, are a rose,
but were always a rose.
- Robert Frost, "The Rose Family".

External links

?LAT=&COM=&FAM=Rosaceae&CAN=com Rosaceae full family list] at Plants For A Future - Species Database.