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biodiversity explorer

the web of life in southern Africa

Family: Stilbaceae

Life > eukaryotes > Archaeoplastida > Chloroplastida > Charophyta > Streptophytina > Plantae (land plants) > Tracheophyta (vascular plants) > Euphyllophyta > Lignophyta (woody plants) > Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering plants) > Eudicotyledons > Core Eudicots > Asterids > Euasterid I > Order: Lamiales

There are 12 genera and 27 species, mainly occurring in the fynbos of the Western Cape in South Africa but with some representatives distributed through Africa, Madagascar, the Mascarene Islands and southern Arabia. From recent molecular studies, the genera Halleria, Charadrophila, Bowkeria, Anastrabe and Ixianthes have been moved to this family from the Scrophulariaceae and Nuxia has been moved from Loganiaceae to Buddlejaceae to its present home in the Stilbaceae.

Retzia capensis, the sole member of its genus, in Mesic Mountain Fynbos, Kleinmond Nature Reserve (Western Cape, South Africa).

Genera native to southern Africa

List from Rourke (2000) with additional genera included from Scrophulariaceae and one from Buddlejaceae, on basis of classification on Angiosperm Phylogeny Website.

Anastrabe

One species, Anastrabe integerrima, occurring in Mozambique, KwaZulu-Natal and Eastern Cape. This genus was previously placed in the Scrophulariaceae.

Anastrabe integerrima

Bowkeria

The three species are native to southern Africa. This genus was previously placed in the Scrophulariaceae.

 

Campylostachys

One species, Campylostachys cernua, endemic to the Western Cape.

 

Charadrophila

One species, Charadrophila capensis, endemic to the Western Cape (moist gorges near Stellenbosch and on Hangklip Peninsula). This genus was previously placed in the Scrophulariaceae.

 

Euthystachys

One species, Euthystachys abbreviata, endemic to the Western Cape.

 

Halleria

Ten species, native to Africa, Madagascar and Arabian Peninsula, with three species in southern Africa. This genus was previously placed in the Scrophulariaceae.

 

Ixianthes

One species, Ixianthes retzioides, endemic to the Western Cape. Pollinated by oil-collecting bees (Rediviva). This genus was previously placed in the Scrophulariaceae.

 

Kogelbergia

Two species, Kogelbergia phylicoides and Kogelbergia verticillata, native to southern Africa.

 

Nuxia

About 40 species, native to Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Isalnds, with about five species in southern Africa. This genus was previously placed in the Buddlejaceae (no longer a valid family) and before that in the Loganiaceae.

Nuxia floribunda

Retzia

One species, Retzia capensis, endemic to the Western Cape.

 

Stilbe

Seven species, all endemic to the Western Cape.

 

Thesmophora

One species, Thesmophora scopulosa, endemic to the Ceres Mountains in the Western Cape.

 

Publications

  • Rourke, J.P. 2000. Stilbaceae. In: Seed Plants of Southern Africa (ed. O.A. Leistner). Strelitzia 10: 541-543. National Botanical Institute, Pretoria.