Saxifragales (colloquial/plural: the saxifrages) is an order of angiosperms, or flowering plants, containing 15 botanical families and around 100 genera, with nearly 2,500 species. Of the 15 families, many are small, with eight of them being monotypic (having only a single genus). The largest family is the Crassulaceae (stonecrops), a diverse group of mostly succulent plants, with about 35 genera. Saxifragales are found worldwide, primarily in temperate to subtropical zones, rarely being encountered growing wild in the tropics; however, many species are now cultivated throughout the world as knowledge of plant husbandry has improved. They can be found in a wide variety of environments, from deserts to fully aquatic habitats, with species adapted to alpine, forested or fully-aquatic habitats. Many are epiphytic or lithophytic, growing on exposed cliff faces, on trees or on rocks, and not requiring a highly organic or nutrient-dense substrate to thrive.
Globally, the saxifrages have a wide variety of uses by humans, ranging from textiles and timber to foodstuffs. Several families—such as the aforementioned Crassulaceae—and genera are of significant commercial importance in some countries and economies, being cultivated on a large scale for sale as ornamental plants. Apart from ornamentals, another highly-prized group are the Grossulariaceae (currants and gooseberries), particularly blackcurrants, redcurrants and white currants.
Overall, the order is extremely diverse, encompassing numerous trees, shrubs, perennial herbs and succulent plants, as well as aquatic and semi-aquatic species. The order's high degree of diversity, in terms of vegetative and reproductive traits (and sheer amount of species), can make it challenging to find any common or unifying features amongst the respective genera.
In the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification system, the Saxifragales are placed within the major division of flowering plants referred to as eudicots, specifically the core eudicots. This subgroup consists of the Dilleniaceae, superasterids and superrosids. The superrosids, in turn, have two components, rosids and Saxifragales. The Saxifragales order has undergone considerable revision since its original classification, which had been based purely on plant characteristics. The modern classification is based on genetic studies, using molecular phylogenetics. There is an extensive fossil record from the Turonian-Campanian phase of the late Cretaceous, dating to about 90 million years ago (Myr). However, molecular studies may suggest an older origin, from the early Cretaceous (102–108 Myr), with rapid and early diversification to more modern forms.
The superrosids, in turn, have two components, rosids and Saxifragales. The Saxifragales order has undergone considerable revision since its original...
classification, which includes Vitales, but excludes Saxifragales. The rosids and Saxifragales form the superrosids clade. This is one of three groups...
Rosales or Saxifragales. This reduced Saxifragaceae, corresponding to subfamily Saxifragoideae and its 30 genera, is now placed within the Saxifragales. There...
maturing into a berry with many seeds. Ribes is the single genus in the Saxifragales family Grossulariaceae. Although once included in the broader circumscription...
then divided into three clades: Dilleniales superrosids consisting of Saxifragales and rosids (the APG IV system includes the Vitales in the rosids) superasterids...
Berberidopsidales—including the family Aextoxicaceae—Caryophyllales, Santalales and Saxifragales, the families Dilleniaceae and Vitaceae and all members of the clades...
200 accepted species in the plant genus Ribes, the single genus in the Saxifragales family Grossulariaceae. Traditionally, these have been divided into a...
Crassulaceae within Saxifragales has varied over time, as molecular data accumulates. The number of families within Saxifragales varies depending on the...
plants in the order Saxifragales. The clade consists of shrubs and small trees positioned within the woody clade of the core Saxifragales. An earlier system...
order Ranunculales, but that Paeonia belongs in the unrelated order Saxifragales. The genus Paeonia consists of about 35 species, assigned to three sections:...
Loropetaleae, subfamily Hamamelidoideae, family Hamamelidaceae of the Saxifragales. The name Loropetalum refers to the shape of the flowers and comes from...
Hamamelidales family Hamamelidaceae, now in order Saxifragales family Cercidiphyllaceae, now in order Saxifragales family Eupteleaceae, now in order Ranunculales...
subspecies is sometimes treated as a separate species). Its placement in the Saxifragales was resolved in 2016 with the help of nuclear, plastid, and mitochondrial...
This paleobotany list records new fossil plant taxa that were to be described during the year 2024, as well as notes other significant paleobotany discoveries...
Paeoniaceae, however, has now been shown unequivocally to belong in Saxifragales, while Glaucidium is firmly in the family Ranunculaceae. In cultivation...
The flora of the Falkland Islands comprises 178 native species (marked * in the list below), 219 non-native species ('†') and 6 of uncertain status. Thirteen...
Family: Sapindaceae, Family: Simaroubaceae, List of Saxifragales of South Africa – Order: Saxifragales, Four families are represented: Family: Altingiaceae...
in family Vahliaceae. This family had previously been placed in the Saxifragales order, and was reassigned to the new order Vahliales in 2016 by the APG...
watermilfoil family) is a eudicot flowering plant family in the order Saxifragales, based on the phylogenetic APG system. In the Cronquist system, it was...
Kalanchoideae is one of three subfamilies in the Saxifragales family Crassulaceae, with four succulent genera. The following five genera are recognised:...
al 2017. Soltis et al 1993. Deng et al 2015. Byng, James W. (2014). "Saxifragales". The Flowering Plants Handbook: A practical guide to families and genera...
which had usually been understood to be a subclass. The rosids and Saxifragales form the superrosids clade. This is one of three groups that compose...
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