How did molecular studies change the classification of the Euphorbiaceae family?

Molecular studies have significantly reshaped the classification of the Euphorbiaceae family, revealing that the traditional, broadly defined family was not monophyletic. Based on these findings, the original group has been split into five or six distinct families, including the Phyllanthaceae and Picrodendraceae, as well as the Putranjivaceae and Pandaceae.

A particularly notable outcome of this research was the discovery of a close evolutionary relationship between the core Euphorbiaceae and the previously unplaced, parasitic family Rafflesiaceae. This connection led to the formal recognition of the family Peraceae, which was identified as the sister group to the combined lineage of Rafflesiaceae and the core Euphorbiaceae. These molecular insights have provided a more robust and testable understanding of plant phylogeny, replacing older classification systems that relied primarily on morphological characteristics.12