# Commelinids

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Clade of monocot flowering plants

Commelinids Temporal range: Late Cretaceous–recent PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Cock's-foot grass (Dactylis glomerata) Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Clade: Embryophytes Clade: Tracheophytes Clade: Spermatophytes Clade: Angiosperms Clade: Monocots Clade: Commelinids Orders Arecales Commelinales Poales Zingiberales Diversity[citation needed] About 1,420 genera

In plant taxonomy, **commelinids** (originally **commelinoids**[1][2]) is a [clade](/source/Clade) of [flowering plants](/source/Flowering_plant) within the [monocots](/source/Monocots), distinguished by having cell walls containing [ferulic acid](/source/Ferulic_acid).[3][4] Well-known commelinids include [palms](/source/Arecaceae) and relatives (order [Arecales](/source/Arecales)), [dayflowers](/source/Commelina), [spiderworts](/source/Tradescantia), [kangaroo paws](/source/Kangaroo_paw), and [water hyacinth](/source/Pontederia_crassipes) (order [Commelinales](/source/Commelinales)), [grasses](/source/Poaceae), [bromeliads](/source/Bromeliads), [pineapples](/source/Pineapple), [rushes](/source/Juncaceae), and [sedges](/source/Cyperaceae) (order [Poales](/source/Poales)), [ginger](/source/Ginger), [cardamom](/source/Cardamom), [turmeric](/source/Turmeric), [galangal](/source/Galangal), [bananas](/source/Banana), [plantains](/source/Plantain_(cooking)), and [bird of paradise flower](/source/Strelitzia_reginae) (order [Zingiberales](/source/Zingiberales)).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

The commelinids are the only clade that the [APG IV system](/source/APG_IV_system) has informally named within the monocots. The remaining monocots are a [paraphyletic](/source/Paraphyly) unit. Also known as the **commelinid monocots** it forms one of three groupings within the monocots, and the final branch; the other two groups are the [alismatid monocots](/source/Alismatid_monocots) and the [lilioid monocots](/source/Lilioid_monocots).

## Description

Members of the commelinid clade have [cell walls](/source/Cell_wall) containing [UV](/source/UV)-[fluorescent](/source/Fluorescence) [ferulic acid](/source/Ferulic_acid).[3][4]

## Taxonomy and phylogeny

The commelinids constitute a well-supported clade within the monocots,[5] and this clade has been recognized in all four APG classification systems. It consists of four orders:

- [Arecales](/source/Arecales) (palms)

- [Commelinales](/source/Commelinales) (spiderwort, water hyacinth)

- [Poales](/source/Poales) (grasses, rushes, bromeliads)

- [Zingiberales](/source/Zingiberales) (gingers, banana)

Phylogenetic tree showing position of the commelinids within the monocots[6] monocots 131 Acorales Alismatales 122 Petrosaviales 120 Dioscoreales 115 Pandanales 91 Liliales 121 121 Asparagales 120 commelinids 118 Arecales Poales Commelinales Zingiberales Lilioid monocots Alismatid monocots

As of [APG IV](/source/APG_IV) (2016) the family [Dasypogonaceae](/source/Dasypogonaceae) is no longer directly placed under commelinids but instead a family of order [Arecales](/source/Arecales).[6]

## Historical taxonomy

The commelinids were first recognized as a formal group in 1967 by [Armen Takhtajan](/source/Armen_Takhtajan), who named them the Commelinidae and assigned them to a subclass of [Liliopsida](/source/Liliopsida) (monocots).[7] The name was also used in the 1981 [Cronquist system](/source/Cronquist_system). However, by the release of his 1980 system of classification, Takhtajan had merged this subclass into a larger one, and no longer considered it to be a clade.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

### Takhtajan system

The [Takhtajan system](/source/Takhtajan_system) treated this as one of six subclasses within the class [Liliopsida](/source/Liliopsida) (=[monocotyledons](/source/Monocotyledon)). It consisted of the following:[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

subclass Commelinidae superorder [Bromelianae](/source/Bromelianae) order [Bromeliales](/source/Bromeliales) order [Velloziales](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Velloziales&action=edit&redlink=1) superorder [Pontederianae](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pontederianae&action=edit&redlink=1) order [Philydrales](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Philydrales&action=edit&redlink=1) order [Pontederiales](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pontederiales&action=edit&redlink=1) order [Haemodorales](/source/Haemodorales) superorder [Zingiberanae](/source/Zingiberanae) order [Musales](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Musales&action=edit&redlink=1) order [Lowiales](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lowiales&action=edit&redlink=1) order [Zingiberales](/source/Zingiberales) order [Cannales](/source/Cannales) superorder [Commelinanae](/source/Commelinanae) order [Commelinales](/source/Commelinales) order [Mayacales](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mayacales&action=edit&redlink=1) order [Xyridales](/source/Xyridales) order [Rapateales](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Rapateales&action=edit&redlink=1) order [Eriocaulales](/source/Eriocaulales) superorder [Hydatellanae](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hydatellanae&action=edit&redlink=1) order [Hydatellales](/source/Hydatellales) superorder [Juncanae](/source/Juncanae) order [Juncales](/source/Juncales) order [Cyperales](/source/Cyperales) superorder [Poanae](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Poanae&action=edit&redlink=1) order [Flagellariales](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Flagellariales&action=edit&redlink=1) order [Restionales](/source/Restionales) order [Centrolepidales](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Centrolepidales&action=edit&redlink=1) order [Poales](/source/Poales)

### Cronquist system

The [Cronquist system](/source/Cronquist_system) treated this as one of four subclasses within the class Liliopsida. It consisted of the following:[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

subclass Commelinidae order [Commelinales](/source/Commelinales) order [Eriocaulales](/source/Eriocaulales) order [Restionales](/source/Restionales) order [Juncales](/source/Juncales) order [Cyperales](/source/Cyperales) order [Hydatellales](/source/Hydatellales) order [Typhales](/source/Typhales)

### APG system

The [APG II system](/source/APG_II_system) does not use formal botanical names above the [rank](/source/Rank_(botany)) of order; most of the members were assigned to the clade **commelinids** in the monocots (its predecessor, the [APG system](/source/APG_system) used the clade **commelinoids**).[8][9]

## See also

- [List of commelinid families](/source/List_of_commelinid_families)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-APG_I_1-0)** APG (1998). ["An ordinal classification for the families of flowering plants"](https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/2234). *[Annals of the Missouri Botanical Garden](/source/Annals_of_the_Missouri_Botanical_Garden)*. **85** (4): 531–553. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1998AnMBG..85..531.](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1998AnMBG..85..531.). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/2992015](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F2992015). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [2992015](https://www.jstor.org/stable/2992015).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-APG_II_2-0)** APG II (2003). "An Update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group Classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG II". *[Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society](/source/Botanical_Journal_of_the_Linnean_Society)*. **141** (4): 399–436. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1046/j.1095-8339.2003.t01-1-00158.x](https://doi.org/10.1046%2Fj.1095-8339.2003.t01-1-00158.x).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHarrisHartley1976_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEHarrisHartley1976_3-1) [Harris & Hartley 1976](#CITEREFHarrisHartley1976).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Dahlgren_1983_4-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Dahlgren_1983_4-1) Dahlgren, R. M. T.; Rassmussen, F. (1983). "Monocotyledon evolution. Characters and phylogenetic estimation". *Evolutionary Biology*. Vol. 16. pp. 255–395. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1007/978-1-4615-6971-8_7](https://doi.org/10.1007%2F978-1-4615-6971-8_7). [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4615-6973-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4615-6973-2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Cantino_2007_5-0)** Cantino, Philip D.; James A. Doyle; Sean W. Graham; Walter S. Judd; Richard G. Olmstead; [Douglas E. Soltis](/source/Douglas_E._Soltis); [Pamela S. Soltis](/source/Pamela_S._Soltis); Michael J. Donoghue (2007). "Towards a phylogenetic nomenclature of *Tracheophyta*". *Taxon*. **56** (3): E1–E44. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/25065865](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F25065865). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [25065865](https://www.jstor.org/stable/25065865).

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAPG_IV2016_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-FOOTNOTEAPG_IV2016_6-1) [APG IV 2016](#CITEREFAPG_IV2016).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Takhtajan_1967_7-0)** Takhtajan, A. (1967). *Система и филогения цветковых растений (Systema et Phylogenia Magnoliophytorum)*. Moscow: Nauka.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Angiosperm Phylogeny Website"](http://www.mobot.org/mobot/research/apweb/). *www.mobot.org*. Retrieved 2026-04-04.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** "An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG II". *Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society*. **141** (4): 399–436. 2003. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1046/j.1095-8339.2003.t01-1-00158.x](https://doi.org/10.1046%2Fj.1095-8339.2003.t01-1-00158.x).

## Bibliography

- [APG IV](/source/Angiosperm_Phylogeny_Group) (2016). ["An update of the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group classification for the orders and families of flowering plants: APG IV"](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fboj.12385). *[Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society](/source/Botanical_Journal_of_the_Linnean_Society)*. **181** (1): 1–20. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/boj.12385](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fboj.12385).

- Barrett, Craig F.; Baker, William J.; Comer, Jason R.; Conran, John G.; Lahmeyer, Sean C.; Leebens-Mack, James H.; Li, Jeff; Lim, Gwynne S.; Mayfield-Jones, Dustin R.; Perez, Leticia; Medina, Jesus; Pires, J. Chris; Santos, Cristian; Wm. Stevenson, Dennis; Zomlefer, Wendy B.; Davis, Jerrold I. (January 2016). ["Plastid genomes reveal support for deep phylogenetic relationships and extensive rate variation among palms and other commelinid monocots"](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fnph.13617). *New Phytologist*. **209** (2): 855–870. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[2016NewPh.209..855B](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016NewPh.209..855B). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1111/nph.13617](https://doi.org/10.1111%2Fnph.13617). [PMID](/source/PMID_(identifier)) [26350789](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26350789).

- Dahlgren, R. M. T.; Clifford, H. T.; Yeo, P. F. (1985). *The Families of the Monocotyledons: Structure, Evolution, and Taxonomy*. Berlin: Springer-Verlag. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-540-13655-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-540-13655-2).

- Harris, P.J.; Hartley, R.D. (1976). "Detection of bound ferulic acid in cell walls of the Gramineae by ultraviolet fluorescence microscopy". *[Nature](/source/Nature_(journal))*. **259** (5543): 508–510. [Bibcode](/source/Bibcode_(identifier)):[1976Natur.259..508H](https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1976Natur.259..508H). [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1038/259508a0](https://doi.org/10.1038%2F259508a0). [S2CID](/source/S2CID_(identifier)) [4272319](https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:4272319).

## External links

- Data related to [Commelinids](https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:Search/Commelinids) at Wikispecies

- Media related to [Commelinids](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Commelinids) at Wikimedia Commons

v t e Orders of flowering plants (APG IV) Supergroup Plant: Bryophyta Marchantiophyta Polypodiophyta Acrogymnospermae Angiospermae Angiosperms Amborellales¹ Nymphaeales¹ Austrobaileyales¹ Mesangiosperms Chloranthales Ceratophyllales Magnoliids Canellales Piperales Laurales Magnoliales Monocots Acorales² Alismatales² Petrosaviales³ Dioscoreales³ Pandanales³ Liliales³ Asparagales³ Commelinids Arecales Poales Commelinales Zingiberales Eudicots Ranunculales Proteales Trochodendrales Buxales Gunnerales Pentapetalae Dilleniales Superrosids Saxifragales Rosids Vitales Fabids Zygophyllales Celastrales Malpighiales Oxalidales Fabales Rosales Cucurbitales Fagales Malvids Geraniales Myrtales Crossosomatales Picramniales Sapindales Huerteales Brassicales Malvales Superasterids Berberidopsidales Santalales Caryophyllales Asterids Cornales Ericales Campanulids Aquifoliales Asterales Escalloniales Bruniales Apiales Dipsacales Paracryphiales Lamiids Icacinales Metteniusales Garryales Boraginales Gentianales Lamiales Solanales Vahliales ¹Basal angiosperms ²Alismatids ³Lilioids Category

Taxon identifiers Commelinids Wikidata: Q868546 Wikispecies: Commelinids NCBI: 4734 Open Tree of Life: 225270 Commelinidae Wikidata: Q1115272 APNI: 215356 EoL: 58972355 ITIS: 39092 Paleobiology Database: 54956 Tropicos: 43000094

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Commelinids](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commelinids) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commelinids?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.