ABSTRACT
Amborellales, Nymphaeales, and Austrobaileyales (ANA) resolve as a paraphyletic grade in many molecular phylogenetic analyses. Two of the orders, Austrobaileyales and Nymphaeales contain obligate wetland (OBL) indicators. This chapter discusses the families of these two orders. It provides the etymology, distribution, diversity, life history, habitat, ecology and economic importance of these families. Phylogenetic analyses of DNA sequence data support the inclusion of Illicium as a monophyletic genus within the Austrobaileyales clade, where it occurs along with Austrobaileyaceae, Schisandraceae, and Trimeniaceae. The Nymphaeales are typically regarded as primitive flowering plants, and phylogenetic studies have regularly shown the order to occupy various phylogenetic positions situated among some of the earliest diverging angiosperm lineages. The chapter describes the order Piperales which include four families: Aristolochiaceae, Lactoridaceae, Piperaceae and Saururaceae, with OBL North American indicators occurring in two. The "magnoliid" dicotyledons correspond roughly with the subclass Magnoliidae but is modified to exclude Ceratophyllales, Illiciales, Ranunculales, and Papaverales and to elevate Canellales to ordinal status.
