List of C4 plants

In botany, C4 carbon fixation is one of three known methods of photosynthesis used by plants. C4 plants increase their photosynthetic efficiency by reducing or suppressing photorespiration, which mainly occurs under low atmospheric CO2 concentration, high light, high temperature, drought, and salinity. There are roughly 8,100 known C4 species, which belong to at least 61 distinct evolutionary lineages in 19 families (as per APG IV classification) of flowering plants. Among these are important crops such as maize, sorghum and sugarcane, but also weeds and invasive plants. Although only 3% of flowering plant species use C4 carbon fixation, they account for 23% of global primary production. The repeated, convergent C4 evolution from C3 ancestors has spurred hopes to bio-engineer the C4 pathway into C3 crops such as rice.

Acanthaceae

The large acanthus family Acanthaceae includes one genus with species, found in dry habitats from Africa to Asia. • Blepharis – 15 species, 1–4 origins ==Aizoaceae==

Aizoaceae

While many species in the ice plant family Aizoaceae use crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), one subfamily with drought-tolerant and halophytic plants includes species: • Sesuvioideae – 30 species, 1–6 origins ==Amaranthaceae==

Amaranthaceae

The amaranth family Amaranthaceae (including the former goosefoot family Chenopodiaceae) contains around 800 known species, which belong to 14 distinct lineages in seven subfamilies. This makes Amaranthaceae the family with most species and lineages among the eudicots. Suaeda aralocaspica and species of the genus Bienertia use a particular, single-cell type of carbon fixation. • Aerva (Amaranthoideae) – 4 species • Alternanthera (Gomphrenoideae) – 17 species (also includes – intermediates) • Amaranthus (Amaranthoideae) – 90 species • Atriplex (Chenopodioideae) – around 180 species • Bassia–Camphorosma clade (Camphorosmoideae) – 24 species (also includes one – intermediate), 1–2 origins • Bienertia (Suaedoideae) – 3 species • Caroxyleae (syn. Caroxyloneae, Salsoloideae) – 157 species • Gomphrenoids (Gomphrenoideae) – 138 species • Salsoleae (Salsoloideae) – 158 species, 2–4 origins • Suaeda aralocaspica (Suaedoideae) • Suaeda sect. Salsina – 30 species • Suaeda sect. Schoberia – 9 species • Tecticornia – (Salicornioideae) 2 species • Tidestromia (Gomphrenoideae) – 8 species ==Asteraceae==

Asteraceae

The composite family Asteraceae contains three lineages, in two different tribes of subfamily Asteroideae. They include the model genus Flaveria with closely related , , and intermediate species. • Flaveria (Tageteae) – 7 species, 2–3 origins (also includes and intermediate) • Coreopsideae – 41 species • Pectis (Tageteae) – 90 species ==Boraginaceae==

Boraginaceae

The borage family Boraginaceae contains one widespread genus, Euploca, which has also been treated as part of a distinct family Heliotropiaceae. • Euploca (also includes – intermediates) – 130 species, 1–3 origins ==Cleomaceae==

Cleomaceae

The Cleomaceae, formerly included in the caper family Capparaceae, contains three species in genus Cleome. These three species independently acquired the pathway; the genus also contains numerous as well as – intermediate species. • Cleome angustifolia • C. gynandra • C. oxalidea ==Caryophyllaceae==

Caryophyllaceae

In the carnation family Caryophyllaceae, the pathway evolved once, in a clade within the polyphyletic genus Polycarpaea. • Polycarpaea – 20 species ==Cyperaceae==

Cyperaceae

The sedge family Cyperaceae is second only to the grasses in number of species. Prominent sedges include culturally important species such as papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) and chufa (C. esculentus) but also purple nutsedge (C. rotundus), one of the world's major weeds. Eleocharis vivipara uses carbon fixation in underwater leaves and carbon fixation in aerial leaves. • Bulbostylis – 211 species • Cyperus – 757 species • Eleocharis ser. Tenuissimae – 10 species • Eleocharis vivipara • Fimbristylis – 303 species • Rhynchospora – 40 species ==Euphorbiaceae==

Euphorbiaceae

The spurge family Euphorbiaceae contains the largest single lineage among eudicots. The spurges are diverse and widespread; they range from weedy herbs to the only known trees – four species from Hawaii, including Euphorbia olowaluana (up to 10 m) and E. herbstii (up to 8 m). • Euphorbia subgenus Chamaesyce section Anisophyllum (also treated as genus Chamaesyce) – 350 species (also including and – intermediate species) ==Gisekiaceae==

Gisekiaceae

Contains a genus with a single species. • Gisekia pharnaceoides ==Hydrocharitaceae==

Hydrocharitaceae

Includes the only known aquatic plants. • Egeria densa • Hydrilla verticillata ==Molluginaceae==

Molluginaceae

The two species within the same genus have acquired the pathway independently. • Mollugo – 2 species, 2 origins ==Nyctaginaceae==

Nyctaginaceae

• Allionia – 2 species • Boerhavia – 42 species ==Polygonaceae==

Polygonaceae

• Calligonum – 80 species ==Portulacaceae==

Portulacaceae

The single genus of this family forms one lineage. CAM photosynthesis is also known. Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a major weed but also a vegetable. • Portulaca – 100 species, 1–2 origins ==Poaceae==

Poaceae

The grass family includes most of the known species – around 5000. They are only found in subfamilies of the PACMAD clade. Major crops such as maize, sugarcane, sorghum and pearl millet belong in this family. The only known species with , and intermediate variants, Alloteropsis semialata, is a grass. • Aristida – 288 species • Stipagrostis – 56 species • Chloridoideae (without Centropodieae) – 1596 species • Centropodia – 4 species • Eriachne – 50 species • Tristachyideae – 87 species • Andropogoneae – 1228 species (incl. maize, sugarcane, sorghum) • Reynaudia filiformis • Axonopus – 90 species • Paspalum – 379 species • Anthaenantia – 4 species • Arthropoginae/Mesosetum clade – 35 species, 1–2 origins • Arthropoginae/Onchorachis clade – 2 species • Arthropoginae/Colaeteania clade – 7 species, 1–2 origins • Anthephorinae – 286 species • Echinochloa – 35 species • Neurachne–Paraneurachne – 2 species, 2 origins • Melinidinae–Panicinae–Cenchrinae – 889 species • Alloteropsis – 5 species, 1–2 origins (incl. and intermediate) ==Scrophulariaceae==

Scrophulariaceae

• Anticharis – 4 species ==Zygophyllaceae==

Zygophyllaceae

• Tribuloideae – 37 species, 1–2 origins • Tetraena simplex ==References==

Source: Wikipedia ↗

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