Restionaceae

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The family Restionaceae of flowering plants contains at the latest review (2003), 40 genera and 950 species all of which are tufted or rhizomatous herbs.

The family as a group are superficially Rush-like Juncaceae in overall appearance but are in fact not that close. They belong to that great grouping of plants in the Liliopsida (Monocot) group that include several other superficially similar families such as the sedges Cyperaceae, rushes Juncaceae and Poaceae.

The group are all southern hemisphere in origin such as the tropics and subtropics of Australia (including Tasmania), South America and South Africa, many of the latter are becoming very popular as garden ornamentals in many parts of the world, some having an almost Bamboo-like habit both in their vigorous cane-like stems and their size.

Currently accepted genera

• Alexgeorgea
• Anthochortus
• Antochortus (Anthochortus)
• Askidiosperma
• Calopsis
• Calorophus
• Cannomois
• Ceratocaryum
• Chondropetalum
• Coleocarya
• Dielsia
• Dovea
• Elegia
• Empodisma
• Harperia
• Hopkinsia
• Hydrophilus
• Hypodiscus
• Hypolaena
• Ischyrolepis
• Lamprocaulos (Elegia)
• Lepidobolus
• Leptocarpus
• Lepyrodia
• Loxocarya
• Lyginia
• Mastersiella
• Meeboldina
• Megalotheca (Mesanthus)
• Nevillea
• Onychosepalum
• Phyllocomos
• Platycaulos
• Pseudoloxocarya
• Restio
• Rhodocoma
• Schlechteria (Phyllocomos)
• Sporadanthus
• Staberoha
• Thamnochortus
• Willdenowia
• Winifredia