Caryophyllales

Caryophyllales, pink or carnation order of dicotyledonous flowering plants. The order includes 37 families, which contain some 12,000 species in 722 genera. Nearly half of the families are very small, with less than a dozen species each.

1 of 4

2 of 4

3 of 4

4 of 4

Caryophyllales is a diverse order that includes trees, shrubs, lianas, mangroves, stem or leaf succulents, annuals, and even insectivores. Many members of the order are ecologically specialized to tolerate salty or desertlike environments. Some have distinctive physiological adaptations to cope with these habitats, including carnivorous digestion and either C₄ or CAM photosynthesis pathways. The order is important as a source of food plants, including amaranth, rhubarb, quinoa, and spinach, and ornamentals such as cacti, carnations, four-o’clocks, ice plants, and globe amaranths.

In the 2016 Angiosperm Phylogeny Group IV (APG IV) botanical classification system (see angiosperm), Caryophyllales occupies a basal position within the core eudicots. Major families in the order include Caryophyllaceae (2,200 species), Amaranthaceae (2,050–2,500 species), Aizoaceae (2,020 species), Cactaceae (1,500 species), Polygonaceae (1,100 species), Plumbaginaceae (836 species), Portulacaceae (500 species), Nyctaginaceae (395 species), Droseraceae (155 species), Frankeniaceae (90 species), Nepenthaceae (90 species), Tamaricaceae (90 species), Molluginaceae (87 species), Phytolaccaceae (65 species), and Basellaceae (20 species).

Discover how ordinary objects work, and expand your understanding of the familiar.

SIGN UP

" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">

Thank you for signing up!"

Back to homepage

By clicking "Sign Up", you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Distribution and abundance

The most-striking ecological feature of Caryophyllales is its dominance in alkaline and arid regions of the globe. Although its large families are distributed worldwide in a variety of habitats, ones such as Caryophyllaceae (pink or carnation family), Amaranthaceae (amaranth family), and Polygonaceae (smartweed family) have many members that are especially adapted to deserts or are halophytic (salt-loving). For example, Aizoaceae (fig marigold or ice plant family) occurs over most of the Earth, but its chief centre of distribution is in desert and temperate latitudes of southern Africa and Australia. Likewise, Portulacaceae (purslane family) is worldwide but with a strong occurrence in arid regions of western North America. Plumbaginaceae (leadwort family) is common throughout the world, but most members thrive along seashores and in other saline environments. Frankeniaceae (alkali-heath family) is worldwide but scattered in distribution. Other families are more restrictive in their geographical distributions.

Cactaceae (cactus family) is native through most of the length of North and South America, from British Columbia and Alberta southward. The northernmost limit is along the Peace River in Canada, and the southernmost limit extends far into southern Chile and Argentina. The only representatives of the family possibly native to the Old World are members of the genus Rhipsalis, with species in East Africa, Madagascar, and Sri Lanka. Whether these plants are actually native to the Old World or introduced in historic times is unknown. For example, various species of Opuntia (prickly pear cactus) and some other genera were introduced from the New World into the Mediterranean region, and some have grown wild there since shortly after the discovery of America. In fact, species of Opuntia have become widely naturalized in India, the Malayan region, Hawaii, and Australia. In Australia and southeastern South Africa, they have become pests and are controlled largely by larvae of moth species from Opuntia’s original native habitat.

Britannica Quiz

Plants: From Cute to Carnivorous

Phytolaccaceae (poke family) and Basellaceae (Madeira-vine family) include plants primarily found in the Neotropics. Nyctaginaceae (four-o’clock family) is common throughout the tropics but occurs also in the warmer temperate regions. Molluginaceae (carpetweed family) is found in tropical and temperate areas, especially in southern Africa. Tamaricaceae (tamarisk family) is widespread in Eurasia and Africa, especially the Mediterranean and Central Asia.

Several families, most of them small in size, are endemic to restricted areas. Asteropeiaceae (eight species), Physenaceae (two species), and Barbeuiaceae (one species) are endemic to Madagascar. Kewaceae (eight species) is found in southern Africa, including Madagascar. Rhabdodendraceae (three species) and Stegnospermataceae (three species) are restricted to the Neotropics. Two families, Sarcobataceae (two species) and Simmondsiaceae (one species), are found exclusively in southwestern North America.

Explore Britannica Premium!

The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.

SUBSCRIBE

Three insectivorous families are restricted to the Old World: Dioncophyllaceae (three species in tropical Africa), Drosophyllaceae (one species on the Iberian Peninsula), and Nepenthaceae (pitcher plant family, found from Madagascar to New Caledonia). Another carnivorous plant family, Droseraceae (sundew or Venus flytrap family), is worldwide in distribution.

Economic importance

Caryophyllales includes plants ranging from garden subjects and vegetables to bizarre succulent plants that resemble stones. The garden plants include carnations, pinks, four-o’clocks, amaranths, portulacas, and Madeira vines. Vegetables in the order include beets, spinach, and Swiss chard. Aizoaceae includes ice plants, sea figs (also called beach apples), and living stones (lithops). Stem or leaf succulents in Cactaceae and Aizoaceae are commonly collected and used in rock gardens.

Caryophyllaceae

Caryophyllaceae (pink or carnation family) includes a number of important plants known for their unusual beauty, nutritional value, or peculiar adaptations to difficult habitats. Many members are used to produce medicines, while others cause disease or even death. Perhaps the best-known ornamental of the family is Dianthus (the pinks), a strongly scented group of plants when found in nature. Native to Europe and Asia, Chinese pink (D. chinensis), cottage pink (D. plumarius), maiden pink (D. deltoides), and sweet William (D. barbatus) all develop in clumpy growths with numerous colourful flowers. Although perhaps less fragrant than the wild pinks, carnations (D. caryophyllus) are commercially grown in large numbers and are a popular cut flower. Another important cut flower in the family is baby’s breath (Gypsophila paniculata), which is native to Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand.

Minuartia and Stellaria (both known as chickweed) and Sagina (pearlwort) are herbaceous plants in this family and are well adapted to rock gardens, although some species can be weedy. Red sandspurrey (Spergularia rubra) is commonly found in sandy heaths near the sea in Europe, Asia, North America, and Australia and has been used as a folk medicine to cure acute and chronic cystitis. Soapwort, or bouncing bet (Saponaria officinalis), is common in central and southern Europe, and its dried roots and flowers are purported to cure skin problems.