Grevilleoideae

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Grevilleoideae
Inflorescence and leaves of the Pin-cushion Hakea (Hakea laurina).
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae, eudicots Order: Proteales Family: Proteaceae Subfamily: Grevilleoideae Engl.
Genera
see text

Grevilleoideae is a subfamily of the Proteaceae family of flowering plants. Mainly restricted to the southern hemisphere, it contains around 44 genera and about 950 species. Genera include Banksia, Grevillea and Macadamia.

Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Taxonomy 4 Uses 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Description

The Grevilleoideae grow as trees, shrubs or subshrubs. They are highly variable, making it impossible to provide a simple, diagnostic identification key for the subfamily. One common and fairly diagnostic character is the occurrence of flowers in pairs that share a common bract. However, a few Grevilleoideae taxa do not have this property, having solitary flowers or inflorescences of unpaired flowers. In most taxa the flowers occur in densely packed heads or spikes, and the fruit is a follicle.

[edit] Distribution and habitat

Grevilleoideae are mainly a southern hemisphere family. The main centre of diversity is Australia, with around 700 of 950 species occurring there. There are surprisingly few Grevilleoideae taxa in South Africa; almost all of the Proteaceae taxa there belong to the subfamily Proteoideae.^[1]

[edit] Taxonomy

The framework for classification of the Proteaceae was laid in 1975 by L. A. S. Johnson and Barbara Briggs.^[2] Their classification has been refined somewhat over the ensuing three decades, resulting in a fairly stable and widely accepted arrangement. Grevilleoideae is counted one of seven subfamilies of Proteaceae. Five of these are very small; Grevilleoideae and Proteoideae accounting for the majority of species.

Grevilleoideae is divided into tribes, subtribes and genera in the following way:

Subfamily Grevilleoideae

Tribe Oriteae

Genus Orites

Genus Neorites

Genus Megahertzia

Tribe Knightieae

Subtribe Knightiinae

Genus Darlingia

Genus Eucarpha

Genus Knightia

Subtribe Cardwelliinae

Genus Cardwellia

Tribe Embothrieae

Subtribe Stenocarpinae

Genus Strangea

Genus Stenocarpus

Subtribe Buckinghamiinae

Genus Buckinghamia

Genus Opisthiolepis

Subtribe Lomatiinae

Genus Lomatia

Subtribe Embothriinae

Genus Alloxylon

Genus Embothrium

Genus Oreocallis

Genus Telopea

Tribe Helicieae

Subtribe Hollandaeinae

Genus Hollandaea

Subtribe Heliciinae

Genus Helicia

Genus Xylomelum

Subtribe Triuniinae

Genus Triunia

Tribe Macadamieae

Subtribe Gevuininae

Genus Euplassa

Genus Gevuina

Genus Sleumerodendron

Genus Turrillia

Subtribe Hicksbeachiinae

Genus Malagasia

Genus Hicksbeachia

Genus Athertonia

Genus Virotia

Genus Catalepidia

Genus Heliciopsis

Subtribe Floydiinae

Genus Floydia

Subtribe Macadamiinae

Genus Macadamia

Genus Panopsis

Genus Brabejum

Subtribe Lambertiinae

Genus Lambertia

Subtribe Roupalinae

Genus Roupala

Genus Kermadecia

Tribe Grevilleeae

Genus Grevillea

Genus Hakea

Genus Finschia

Tribe Banksieae

Subtribe Musgraveinae

Genus Musgravea

Genus Austromuellera

Subtribe Banksiinae

Genus Banksia

[edit] Uses

Many Grevilleoideae species are cultivated by the nursery industry, as barrier plants and for their prominent and distinctive flowers and foliage. Some species are of importance to the cut flower industry, especially some Banksia and Dryandra species. Two species of the genus Macadamia and the Chilean species Gevuina Avellana (Chilean hazel) are grown commercially for edible nuts. Chilean hazel has an acceptable frost tolerance.

[edit] References

1. ^ Orchard, Anthony E. (ed.). "Proteaceae", Flora of Australia, Volume 16: Elaeagnaceae, Proteaceae 1. Melbourne: Australian Biological Resources Study / CSIRO Publishing. 
2. ^ L. A. S. Johnson and Briggs, B. G. (1975). "On the Proteaceae – the evolution and classification of a southern family". Journal of the Linnean Society of London. Botany 70: 83–182. 

[edit] External links