The Celastrales are an order of flowering plants found throughout the tropics and subtropics, with only a few species extending far into the temperate regions. The 1200 to 1350 species are in about 100 genera. All but seven of these genera are in the large family Celastraceae. The anthophytes are a grouping of plant taxa bearing flower-like reproductive structures. They were formerly thought to be a clade comprising plants bearing flower-like structures. The group contained the angiosperms – the extant flowering plants, such as roses and grasses – as well as the Gnetales and the extinct Bennettitales.
23,420 species of vascular plant have been recorded in South Africa, making it the sixth most species-rich country in the world and the most species-rich country on the African continent. Of these, 153 species are considered to be threatened. Nine biomes have been described in South Africa: Fynbos, Succulent Karoo, desert, Nama Karoo, grassland, savanna, Albany thickets, the Indian Ocean coastal belt, and forests.
The 2018 South African National Biodiversity Institute's National Biodiversity Assessment plant checklist lists 35,130 taxa in the phyla Anthocerotophyta (hornworts (6)), Anthophyta (flowering plants (33534)), Bryophyta (mosses (685)), Cycadophyta (cycads (42)), Lycopodiophyta (Lycophytes(45)), Marchantiophyta (liverworts (376)), Pinophyta (conifers (33)), and Pteridophyta (cryptogams (408)).
One family is represented in the literature. Listed taxa include species, subspecies, varieties, and forms as recorded, some of which have subsequently been allocated to other taxa as synonyms, in which cases the accepted taxon is appended to the listing. Multiple entries under alternative names reflect taxonomic revision over time.
Celastraceae
Family Celastraceae
Allocassine
Genus Allocassine: Allocassine laurifolia (Harv.) N.Robson, indigenous
Cassine
Genus Cassine: Cassine aethiopica Thunb. accepted as Mystroxylon aethiopicum (Thunb.) Loes. subsp. aethiopicum, present Cassine barbara L. accepted as Cassine peragua L. subsp. barbara (L.) R.H.Archer, present Cassine burkeana (Sond.) Kuntze, accepted as Mystroxylon aethiopicum (Thunb.) Loes. subsp. burkeanum (Sond.) R.H.Archer, present Cassine crocea (Thunb.) Kuntze, accepted as Elaeodendron croceum (Thunb.) DC. present Cassine eucleiformis (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Kuntze, accepted as Robsonodendron eucleiforme (Eckl. & Zeyh.) R.H.Archer, present Cassine maritima (Bolus) F.Bolus & L.Bolus, accepted as Robsonodendron maritimum (Bolus) R.H.Archer, present Cassine matabelicum (Loes.) Steedman, accepted as Elaeodendron matabelicum Loes. Cassine papillosa (Hochst.) Kuntze, accepted as Elaeodendron croceum (Thunb.) DC. present Cassine parvifolia Sond., endemic Cassine peragua L. indigenous Cassine peragua L. subsp. affinis (Sond.) R.H.Archer, endemic Cassine peragua L. subsp. barbara (L.) R.H.Archer, endemic Cassine peragua L. subsp. peragua, indigenous Cassine reticulata (Eckl. & Zeyh.) Codd, accepted as Lauridia reticulata Eckl. & Zeyh. present Cassine schinoides (Spreng.) R.H.Archer, endemic Cassine stuhlmannii (Loes.) Blakelock, accepted as Elaeodendron schlechterianum (Loes.) Loes. present Cassine tetragona (L.f.) Druce, accepted as Lauridia tetragona (L.f.) R.H.Archer, present Cassine tetragona (L.f.) Loes., accepted as Lauridia tetragona (L.f.) R.H.Archer, present Cassine tetragona (Thunb.) Loes., accepted as Lauridia tetragona (L.f.) R.H.Archer, present Cassine transvaalensis (Burtt Davy) Codd, accepted as Elaeodendron transvaalense (Burtt Davy) R.H.Archer, present
Catha
Genus Catha: Catha abbottii A.E.van Wyk & M.Prins, accepted as Lydenburgia abbottii (A.E.van Wyk & M.Prins) Steenkamp, A.E.van Wyk & M.Prins, present Catha campestris (Eckl. & Zeyh.) C.Presl, accepted as Putterlickia pyracantha (L.) Szyszyl. indigenous Catha edulis (Vahl) Forssk. ex Endl. indigenous Catha transvaalensis Codd, accepted as Lydenburgia cassinoides N.Robson, present
Celastrus
Genus Celastrus: Celastrus campestris Eckl. & Zeyh. accepted as Putterlickia pyracantha (L.) Szyszyl. indigenous Celastrus obtusus Thunb. accepted as Putterlickia pyracantha (L.) Szyszyl. indigenous Celastrus pyracanthus L. accepted as Putterlickia pyracantha (L.) Szyszyl. endemic Celastrus saxatilis Burch. accepted as Putterlickia saxatilis (Burch.) Jordaan, endemic Celastrus tetragonus Thunb. accepted as Lauridia tetragona (L.f.) R.H.Archer, present Celastrus verrucosus Sond. accepted as Putterlickia verrucosa (E.Mey. ex Sond.) Szyszyl. endemic
Elachyptera
Genus Elachyptera: Elachyptera parvifolia (Oliv.) N.Halle, indigenous