Rosaceae

Rosaceae (rose-like plants) is a large family of plants. There are about 100-120 genera with between 3,000 and 4,000 species in them. Well-known plants from the family include:

• Roses
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Apples, and Pears
• Peaches, Cherries, and Apricots

Rosaceae
Flower of Rosa arvensis
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Magnoliophyta
Class:	Magnoliopsida
Order:	Rosales
Family:	Rosaceae Juss.
Global distribution of Rosaceae

Plants in Rosaceae usually have flowers with five petals. However, some decorative roses have many more. Species of Dryas usually have eight petals.

Subfamilies

The Rosaceae family has been divided into subfamilies; usually the following four subfamilies are used:

• Rosoideae
• Spiraeoideae
• Maloideae
• Amygdaloideae (sometimes incorrectly called Prunoideae)

However, it has become clear that the last three of these subfamilies cannot be divided in a clear way. Also, there is a small group that is so different from other Rosaceae, that it is now given its own name. Botanists now use only three subfamilies in Rosaceae:

• Rosoideae
• Amygdaloideae
• Dryadoideae