Ruscaceae M. Roemer. Common name: Ruscus Family.

Key to Ruscaceae

As here circumscribed, a family of about 28 genera and 500 species, of North America, Central America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. Following the "breakup of the Liliaceae", Ruscaceae was often defined very narrowly to include a few genera with cladodes. In APG I (1998), it was recognized more broadly as Convallariaceae. In APG II (2003), Ruscaceae was listed as an "acceptable, monophyletic alternative to the broader circumscription favoured here". In APG III (2009) and APG IV (2016), Ruscaceae was simply merged into a very broad Asparagaceae. We favor and here use a 'middle ground' that recognizes at family rank major clades (in our region: Asparagaceae s.s., Ruscaceae, Agavaceae, Themidaceae, and Hyacinthaceae) in Asparagaceae sensu APG III and APG IV.

References: Bogler (1998) In Kubitzki (1998a); Bogler & Simpson (1995); Conran & Tamura (1998) In Kubitzki (1998a); Yamashita & Tamura (2000); Yeo (1998) In Kubitzki (1998a). Show full citations.

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