Subclass:   Zingiberidae   return to Liliopsida

Links to Family Pages: Bromeliaceae  Marantaceae Cannaceae  Musaceae Costaceae  Strelitziaceae Heliconiaceae  Zingiberaceae

The subclass Zingiberidae comprises 9 largely tropical families and about 3,800 species. These largely coarse herbs or epiphytes are conspicuous elements of tropical forests. The Zingiberidae resemble the Liliidae (and differ from the Commelinidae) in commonly having septal nectaries and in usually having the vessels confined to the roots. They resemble the Commelinidae (and differ from most Liliidae) in having sepals and petals well differentiated in color and texture and possessing a bracted inflorescence. A characteristic pinnate-parallel venation is seen in 8 of the families. Molecular phylogenetic analyses place the Zingiberidae (and palms) firmly within the Commelinidae. Bound ferulic acid in cell walls delimits this expanded subclass very nicely. The 8 families of Zingiberales are not related to the remaining family of the Zingiberidae, the Bromeliaceae - which is instead closely related to the Rapateaceae.

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