Higher-level classification The
monotypic family, Moringaceae, containing genus
Moringa has been placed in the
order Brassicales according to most modern taxonomic systems, including the
APG IV system. Molecular data has suggested a close relationship between Moringaceae and
Caricaceae with many identifying a "Caricaceae-Moringaceae" clade within Brassicales. Prior to the availability of molecular data,
morphological classification of Moringaceae placed the family in either Brassicales or
Sapindales due to the unusual morphological diversity of the family.
Classification within the genus Moringa contains three widely recognized clades—Donaldsonia, Moringa, and Dysmoringa. Donaldsonia, once thought to be a
subgenus of
Moringa, is a non-monophyletic clade identifiable by radially symmetric flowers and containing the bottle trees
M. drouhardii, M. hildebrandtii, M. ovalifolia, and
M. stenopetala. The Moringa clade contains all other members of genus
Moringa (except
M. longituba) characterized by irregular floral symmetry, perigynous flowers, and short receptacles. The Dysmoringa clade contains the species
M. longituba which diverges from common Moringa clade characteristics due to its long receptacle and red flowers. The exact phylogenetic relationship between members of
Moringa continues to evolve with growing molecular data, though the Donaldsonia clade is consistently identified as the
basalmost clade within the family. ==List of species==