Gentianales is an order of flowering plants, included within the asterid clade of eudicots. It comprises more than 20,000 species in about 1,200 genera in 5 families.[1] More than 80% of the species in this order belong to the family Rubiaceae.
Many of these flowering plants are used in traditional medicine.[2] They have been used to treat pain, anxiety, cancers and neurological conditions.
Honeybees are a well known pollinator of Gentianales species in Brazil.[3]
In the classification system of Dahlgren the Gentiales were in the superorder Gentianiflorae (also called Gentiananae). The following families are included according to the APG III system:[4]
The following phylogenetic tree is based on molecular phylogenetic studies of DNA sequences.[5]
GentianalesIt takes its name from the family Gentianaceae, which in turn is based on the name of the type genus, Gentiana. The genus name is a tribute to Gentius, an Illyrian king.
Well-known members of Gentianales are coffee, frangipani, Gardenia, gentian, oleander, and periwinkle.
Some Gentianales species have been used in traditional medicine in rural southeastern Asia countries. Gelsemium sempervirens has been used in Chinese medicine in conditions such as anxiety, migraines/headaches, and neuralgia. Gelsemium elegans has been used in rheumatoid arthritis pain, neuropathic pain, skin ulcers, and even cancers.[2]
Gentianales is an order of flowering plants, included within the asterid clade of eudicots. It comprises more than 20,000 species in about 1,200 genera in 5 families. More than 80% of the species in this order belong to the family Rubiaceae.
Many of these flowering plants are used in traditional medicine. They have been used to treat pain, anxiety, cancers and neurological conditions.
Honeybees are a well known pollinator of Gentianales species in Brazil.
