Gentianaceae

Gentianaceae
Gentiana acaulis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Clade:	Eudicots
Clade:	Asterids
Order:	Gentianales
Family:	Gentianaceae Juss.[1]
Type genus
Gentiana L.
Synonyms
Saccifoliaceae[2]

Gentianaceae is a family of flowering plants of 105 genera and about 1650 species.[3][4] It inhabits every continent except the antarctic, and has been used around the world for centuries as traditional medicine.

The family takes its name from the genus Gentiana, named after the Illyrian king Gentius.[citation needed]

Distribution is cosmopolitan.[citation needed] Gentianaceae occurs on all continents except the antarctic, although diversity is highest in temperate and subtropical regions. Gentianaceae species often inhabit alpine and subalpine habitats.

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The family consists of herbs, shrubs, and a few trees. The family shows a wide range of colors and floral patterns. Flowers are actinomorphic and bisexual with fused sepals and petals. The stamens are attached to the inside of the petals (epipetalous) and alternate with the corolla lobes. There is a glandular disk at the base of the gynoecium, and flowers have parietal placentation. The inflorescence is cymose, with simple or complex cymes. The fruits are dehiscent septicidal capsules splitting into two halves, rarely some species have a berry. Seeds are small with copiously oily endosperms and a straight embryo. The habit varies from small trees, pachycaul shrubs to (usually) herbs, with ascending, erect or twining stems. Plants are usually rhizomatous. Leaves opposite, less often alternate or in some species whorled, simple in shape, with entire edges and bases connately attached to the stem. Stipules are absent. Plants usually accumulate bitter iridoid substances; bicollateral bundles are present.

Partial myco-heterotrophy is common among species in this family with a few genera such as Voyria and Voyriella lacking chlorophyll and being fully myco-heterotrophic.

Gentianaceae species have a variety of pollination mechanisms including bees, hummingbirds, bats, and moths. Their seeds are dispersed by mammals, bats, birds, and wind.[5] Despite some species having a bitter taste, gentians can by eaten by butterfly larvae, moths, beetles, and mammals like deer.[6] Some genera have ecological interactions with ants. Ants will visit nectaries, calyces, petioles, and sometimes live in the hollow stems of gentians. Ants interact with species in the genera Fagraea, Anthocleista, Tachia, Chelonanthus, and Swertia.[6]

Some gentians have limited ranges and are protected under governmental oversight.[which?] For example, Gentianella uliginosa (Dune Gentian), which occurs in some limited areas of Wales and Scotland, is a priority species under the Biodiversity Action Plan of the United Kingdom.[7]

According to Merckx et al.,[8] the neotropics were an important area for the early diversification events in Gentianaceae, most of which occurring during the Eocene. However, Pirie et al.[9] suggested that ancient vicariance cannot be ruled out as an explanation for the early origins of Exaceae across Africa, Madagascar and the Indian subcontinent.

In 2016, Favre et al.[10] used phylogenetic reconstruction to find that early early diversification and dispersal of the Gentiana genus and Gentianinae subtribe occurred in the Quinghai-Tibet Plateau region. As the plateau lifted starting 50 million years ago, there was increased altitudinal zonation and many unique habitat niches in a small area. Gentiana species dispersed from the Quinghai-Tibet Plateau and surrounding areas to Taiwan, eastern China, North and South America, Australia, and New Guinea starting in the mid-Miocene era.

Gentians have been used as traditional medicine for centuries in China, Tibet, India and Iran.[11] They contain bioactive compounds such as xanthones, iridoids, and flavonoids. These compounds give them anti-inflammatory, anti-melanogenic, anti-ischemic, anti-fibrotic, and antioxidant properties. Gentians have been used to treat and prevent dermatological diseases, menstrual over-bleeding, conjunctivitis, venom poisoning, injuries, infected wounds, and pain and swelling of organs.[12][11] There is research being done currently on how compounds in gentians can be used in modern medicine.

The family was first described by Antoine Laurent de Jussieu in 1789.[3]

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• tribe Chironieae (G.Don) Endl.
  • subtribe Canscorinae Thiv & Kadereit
  • subtribe Chironiinae G.Don
  • subtribe Coutoubeinae G.Don
• tribe Exaceae Colla
• tribe Gentianeae Colla
  • subtribe Gentianinae G.Don
  • subtribe Swertiinae (Griseb.) Rchb.
• tribe Helieae Gilg
• tribe Potalieae Rchb.
  • subtribe Faroinae Struwe & V.A.Albert
  • subtribe Lisianthiinae G.Don
  • subtribe Potaliinae (Mart.) Progel
• tribe Saccifolieae (Maguire & Pires) Struwe, Thiv, V.A.Albert & Kadereit
• the group Voyrieae is incertae sedis, or not classified. It contains the 19 species of the Voyria Gilg genus.

105 genera are accepted.[3]

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The family Gentianaceae is one of five families in the Gentianales, which is within the Asterid clade. The other families are Apocynaceae, Gelsimiaceae, Loganiaceae, and Rubiaceae.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Gentianaceae.

Wikispecies has information related to Gentianaceae.

• Gentian Research Network