RANUNCULIFLORAE - DELIMITATION, PHYLOGENY, DIVERSIFICATION

Within the Ranalean complex the Ranunculiflorae form a natural entity that in all modern classifications re-appears more or less in the same circumscription, although at different rank and under different names . The Ranunculiflorae are so distinct from woody Ranales (Magnoliiflor ae) that a higher (superordinal) taxonomic rank appropriately expresse s their relative isolation and individuality. On morphological and phy tochemical grounds, several families that at one time have been assign ed to this alliance, have to be excluded from it, such as the Nymphaea ceae (but not Nelumbo), Nepenthaceae, and Paeoniaceae. Phylogenetic li nks of the Ranunculiflorae with magnolialean families may exist but ar e probably less tight than often assumed; the Illiciales are no vital link between the two major groups. In contrast to the ''eudicot'' conc ept it is argued that tricolpate pollen in the Ranunculiflorae origina ted independently from non-magnolialean dicotyledons. Attention is cal led to different themes of diversification in several families of the Ranunculiflorae.