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Which orders make up the division Gnetophyta?
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gnetophyte
Welwitschia, or tumboa (Welwitschia mirabilis), in Namibia.
The division Gnetophyta is composed of three distinct orders, each containing a single family and genus. These orders are:12
- Ephedrales: This order includes the family Ephedraceae, which consists of approximately 65 species of shrubs and small trees within the genus Ephedra.32
- Gnetales: This order comprises the family Gnetaceae, containing about 30 species of vines and trees in the genus Gnetum.32
- Welwitschiales: This order consists of the family Welwitschiaceae, which is represented by a single species, Welwitschia mirabilis.32
While older classification systems sometimes grouped these genera under a single order, modern botanical consensus recognizes these three separate orders to account for the significant morphological differences between the groups.1