The Capparaceae (or Capparidaceae), commonly known as the caper family, are a family of plants in the order Brassicales. As currently circumscribed, the family contains 15 genera and about 430 species. The largest genera are Capparis (about 140 species), Morisonia (87 species), Maerua (70 species), Boscia (30 species), and Cadaba (30 species).

Taxonomy The Capparaceae have long been considered closely related to and have often been included in the Brassicaceae, the mustard family (APG, 1998), in part because both groups produce glucosinolate (mustard oil) compounds. Subsequent molecular studies(Hall et al., 2002, 2008) support Capparaceae sensu stricto as paraphyletic with respect to the Brassicaceae. However Cleome and several related genera are more closely related to members of the Brassicaceae than to the other Capparaceae. These genera are now either placed in the Brassicaceae (as subfamily Clemoideae) or segregated into the Cleomaceae. Several more genera of the traditional Capparaceae are more closely related to other members of the Brassicales, and the relationships of several more remain unresolved.(Hall et al. 2004). Based on morphological grounds and supported by molecular studies, the American species traditionally identified as Capparis have been transferred to resurrected generic names. Several new genera have also been recently described.(Cornejo & Iltis 2006, 2008a-e; Iltis & Cornejo, 2007; Hall, 2008).

Based on recent DNA-analysis, the Capparaceae are part of the core Brassicales, and based on limited testing, the following tree represent current insights in its relationship.

Genera 15 genera are accepted:Capparaceae Juss. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 3 December 2023.

Bachmannia Pax Beautempsia Boscia Lam. Buchholzia Engl. Cadaba Forssk. Capparis L. Crateva L. Hypselandra Maerua Forssk. Morisonia L. Neocalyptrocalyx Hutch. Neothorelia Gagnep. Poilanedora Gagnep. Ritchiea R.Br. ex G.Don Thilachium Lour.

Excluded genera Borthwickia W.W.Sm. → Resedaceae Cleome L. → Cleomaceae Cleomella DC. → Cleomaceae Dactylaena Schrad. ex Schult.f. → Cleomaceae Forchhammeria Liebm. → Stixaceae Haptocarpum Ule → Cleomaceae Koeberlinia Zucc. → Koeberliniaceae Oxystylis Torr. & Frem. → Cleomaceae Pentadiplandra Baill. → Pentadiplandraceae Podandrogyne Ducke → Cleomaceae Polanisia Raf. → Cleomaceae Setchellanthus Brandegee → Setchellanthaceae Stixis Lour. → Stixaceae Tirania Pierre → Stixaceae Wislizenia Engelm. → Cleomaceae

Genus insufficiently known according to Kers in Kubitzki, but whose descriptions indicate it cannot belong to the Capparaceae Keithia Spreng. (unplaced)

References

Further reading Cornejo, X. & H. H. Iltis. 2006. New combinations in Capparaceae sensu stricto for Flora of Ecuador. Harvard Pap. Bot. 11(1): 17–18. Cornejo, X. & H. H. Iltis. 2008a. Two new genera of Capparaceae: Sarcotoxicum and Mesocapparis stat. nov., and the reinstatement of Neocalyptrocalyx. Harvard Pap. Bot. 13(1): 103-116. Cornejo, X. & H. H. Iltis. 2008b. New combinations in South American Capparaceae. Harvard Pap. Bot. 13(1): 117-120. Cornejo, X. & H. H. Iltis. 2008c. Anisocapparis y Monilicarpa: dos nuevos géneros de Capparaceae de América del Sur. J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas 2(1): 61-74. Cornejo, X. & H. H. Iltis. 2008d. The reinstatement of Capparidastrum. Harvard Pap. Bot. 13(2): 229-236. Cornejo, X. & H. H. Iltis. 2008e. A revision of Colicodendron Mart. (Capparaceae s.s.). J. Bot. Res. Inst. Texas, 2(1): 75-93.

Hall, J. C., K. J. Sytsma and H. H. Iltis. 2002. Phylogeny of Capparaceae and Brassicaceae based on chloroplast sequence data. American Journal of Botany 89: 1826-1842 (abstract here ). Hall, J. C., H. H. Iltis and K. J. Sytsma. 2004. Molecular phylogenetics of core Brassicales, placement of orphan genera Emblingia, Forchhammeria, Tirania, and character evolution. Systematic Botany 29: 654-669 (abstract here). Hall, J. C. 2008. Systematics of Capparaceae and Cleomaceae: an evaluation of the generic delimitations of Capparis and Cleome using plastid DNA sequence data. Botany 86: 682–696. Iltis, H. H. & Cornejo, X. 2007. Studies in the Capparaceae XXX. Capparicordis, a new genus from the Neotropics. Brittonia 59: 246–254. Kers, L. E. 2003. Capparaceae. In: Kubitzki, K. (Series Editor):The Families and Genera of Vascular Plants, Vol.5: K. Kubitzki & C. Bayer (Volume Editors).Springer-Verlag Berlin, 36-56. Takhtajan, A. 1997. Diversity and classification of flowering plants.

External links

Capparaceae, in Neotropikey Capparaceae, in Flowering Plants of the Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. Photos at University of Hawaii site Capparaceae, as Capparidaceae in L. Watson and M.J. Dallwitz (1992 onwards). Family Capparaceae flowers in Israel