Capparales

Capparales is an order of flowering plants that was used in the Cronquist system of angiosperm classification. In that framework, Capparales included mainly two families: Capparaceae, the caper family, and Cleomaceae, the cleome family. The order was primarily distributed in tropical and subtropical regions, with some species extending into temperate areas.

With advances in molecular phylogenetics, Capparales is no longer recognized as a valid order in modern classifications. In the Angiosperm Phylogeny Group (APG) system and its revisions, the former Capparales lineages are placed in the order Brassicales. Capparaceae and Cleomaceae are treated as distinct families within Brassicales, rather than as a single order.

Notable members include Capparis spinosa, the caper plant, cultivated for its flower buds, which are used as capers. The Cleomaceae includes various Cleome species. Members of these groups are typically herbaceous or woody plants; many have aromatic compounds and leaves that range from simple to palmately lobed. The flowers and reproductive structures are characteristic of brassical lineages, and fruits are often capsules or similar dry fruits.

Historical interest: Capparales illustrates the shift from morphology-based to molecular taxonomy and the reorganization of the Brassicales clade. The name Capparales remains of interest for historical literature and for discussions of classification systems prior to APG.