Plants in the family Zygophyllaceae may be trees, shrubs, or herbs. They are often found in dry habitats. The leaves are usually opposite, often with stipules and spines. Some are cultivated as ornamental plants, such as species of the Guaiacum, Zygophyllum, Tribulus, and Larrea genera.[3]King Clone, a creosote bush (Larrea tridentata) in California, is among the world's oldest living organisms.
The distribution of plants in the Zygophyllaceae family can be found worldwide in warm tropics and cool-temperate subtropics with a concentration in hot, arid regions with alkaline soils.[4] Regions with different species from this family include Africa, south Asia, India, Australia and parts of the United States.[5]
Zygophyllaceae are divided into five subfamilies. Molecular phylogenies of the family were published in 2000[14] and 2018.[15]Phylogenies of groups within the family, particularly the predominantly southern African species of Zygophylloideae have also been published.[16][17][18]
^"Zygophyllaceae R. Br., nom. cons". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. 2003-01-17. Retrieved 2009-09-25.
^ abBeier, B.-A.; Chase, M. W. & Thulin, M. (2003), "Phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy of subfamily Zygophylloideae (Zygophyllaceae) based on molecular and morphological data", Plant Systematics and Evolution, 240 (1–4): 11–39, Bibcode:2003PSyEv.240...11B, doi:10.1007/s00606-003-0007-0, S2CID9299742
^"Augea Thunb.". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
^"Tetraena Maxim". Plants of the World Online. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Retrieved 2021-06-02.
^"Genera of Zygophyllaceae". Germplasm Resources Information Network. United States Department of Agriculture. Retrieved 2010-08-15.
^ abSheahan MC, Chase MW (2000). "Phylogenetic Relationships within Zygophyllaceae Based on DNA Sequences of Three Plastid Regions, with Special Emphasis on Zygophylloideae". Syst Bot. 25 (2): 371–384. doi:10.2307/2666648. JSTOR2666648. S2CID85576133.
^Bellstedt, D.U.; van Zyl, L.; Marais, E.M.; Bytebier, B.; de Villiers, C.A.; Makwarela, A.M.; Dreyer, L.L. (2008). "Phylogenetic relationships, character evolution and biogeography of southern African members of Zygophyllum (Zygophyllaceae) based on three plastid regions". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 47 (3): 932–949. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2008.02.019. ISSN1055-7903. PMID18407526.
^Bellstedt, Dirk U.; Galley, Chloé; Pirie, Michael D.; Linder, H. Peter (2012). "The Migration of the Palaeotropical Arid Flora: Zygophylloideae as an Example". Systematic Botany. 37 (4): 951–959. doi:10.1600/036364412X656608. ISSN0363-6445. S2CID85625888.
^Lauterbach, Maximilian; van der Merwe, Pieter de Wet; Keßler, Lisa; Pirie, Michael D.; Bellstedt, Dirk U.; Kadereit, Gudrun (2016). "Evolution of leaf anatomy in arid environments – A case study in southern African Tetraena and Roepera (Zygophyllaceae)". Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution. 97: 129–144. doi:10.1016/j.ympev.2016.01.002. ISSN1055-7903. PMID26790586.