Waterleaf (Family Hydrophylloideae)

Hydrophylloideae is a subfamily of the Boraginaceae Family of flowering plants. Their taxonomic position is somewhat uncertain. Traditionally, and under the Cronquist system, they were given family rank under the name Hydrophyllaceae, and treated as part of the order Solanales. More recent systems have recognised their close relationship to the Borage Family, Boraginaceae, initially by placing Hydro-

phyllaceae and Boraginaceae together in Order Boraginales, and most recently by demoting Hydrophyllaceae to a subfamily of Boraginaceae. However the placement and circumscription of Boraginaceae is still uncertain: it is unplaced at order level, and there is some prospect of it being split up again in future.

Family Hydrophylloideae is comprised of about 20 genera, containing around 300 species; many of them are native to the western United States.

Family Hydrophylloideae contains such ornamental genera as Phacelia, Nemophila, and Wiegandia, but is not otherwise not economically

important.

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