Hydrophylloideae is a
subfamily of the plant family
Boraginaceae
Boraginaceae, the borage or forget-me-not family, includes about 2,000 species of shrubs, trees and herbs in 146, to 156 genera with a worldwide distribution.
The APG IV system from 2016 classifies the Boraginaceae as single family of the orde ...
. Their taxonomic position is somewhat uncertain. Traditionally, and under the
Cronquist system
The Cronquist system is a taxonomic classification system of flowering plants. It was developed by Arthur Cronquist in a series of monographs and texts, including ''The Evolution and Classification of Flowering Plants'' (1968; 2nd edition, 1988) ...
, they were given family rank under the name Hydrophyllaceae, and treated as part of the order
Solanales
The Solanales are an order of flowering plants, included in the asterid group of dicotyledons. Some older sources used the name Polemoniales for this order.
Taxonomy
Under the older Cronquist system, the latter three families were placed elsew ...
. More recent systems have recognised their close relationship to the borage family, Boraginaceae, initially by placing Hydrophyllaceae and Boraginaceae together in an order
Boraginales
Boraginales is an order of flowering plants in the asterid clade. It includes the Boraginaceae and a number of other families, with a total of about 125 genera and 2,700 species. Its herbs, shrubs, trees and lianas (vines) have a worldwide distr ...
, and most recently by demoting Hydrophyllaceae to a subfamily of Boraginaceae. However the placement and circumscription of Boraginaceae is still uncertain: it is unplaced at order level, and there is some prospect of it being split up again in future.
Plants in this subfamily may be annual or perennial herbs or shrubs, with either a prostrate or an erect stem. Most have a taproot. The flowers are bisexual, and normally radial, with 5 petals and 5 stamens. About 20 genera, containing around 300 species, are recognised; many of them are native to the western United States.
The subfamily takes its name from the genus ''
Hydrophyllum'' (waterleaf). Well known members include ''
Emmenanthe
''Emmenanthe'' is a monotypic genus which contains only one species, ''Emmenanthe penduliflora'', known by the common name whispering bells. This grassland wildflower is native to California, though it can also be found in other locations within ...
'' (whispering bells), ''
Nemophila'' (baby blue eyes) and ''
Phacelia
''Phacelia'' (phacelia, scorpionweed, heliotrope) is a genus of about 200 species of annual or perennial herbaceous plants in the borage family, native to North and South America. California is particularly rich in species with over 90 record ...
'' (scorpionweed).
Genera
References
External links
Global Biodiversity Information Facility: Hydrophyllaceae
{{Taxonbar, from=Q5905613
Asterid subfamilies