A cornucopia of diversity— Ranunculales as a model lineage

Abstract

The Ranunculales are a hyperdiverse lineage in many aspects of their phenotype, includinggrowth habit, floral and leaf morphology, reproductive mode and specialized metabolism.Many Ranunculales species, such as opium poppy and goldenseal have a high medicinalvalue. In addition, the order includes a large number of commercially important ornamentalplants, such as columbines and larkspurs. The phylogenetic position of the order withrespect to monocots and core eudicots and the diversity within this lineage make theRanunculales an excellent group for studying evolutionary processes by comparativestudies. Lately, the phylogeny of Ranunculales was revised and genetic and genomicresources were developed for many species, allowing comparative analyses at themolecular scale. Here, we review the literature on the resources for genetic manipulationand genome sequencing, the recent phylogeny reconstruction of this order, and its fossilrecord. Further, we explain their habitat range and delve into the diversity in their floralmorphology, focusing on perianth organ identity, floral symmetry, occurrences of spurs andnectaries, sexual and pollination systems, and fruit and dehiscence types.The Ranunculales order offers a wealth of opportunities for scientific exploration acrossvarious disciplines and scales, to gain novel insights into plant biology for researchers andplant enthusiasts alike.