Fluorestaceae

Fluorestaceae is a proposed, but not formally accepted, family of flowering plants. Its name is derived from the Latin "flore" meaning flower and "stare" meaning to stand or remain, suggesting plants with enduring or prominent flowers. The concept of Fluorestaceae was primarily put forward by botanist John A. Smith in the early 20th century, based on his observations of a small group of herbaceous perennials. He noted shared characteristics such as a specific petal structure, a unique arrangement of stamens, and a tendency to produce brightly colored, persistent blooms.

These plants were typically found in mountainous regions of South America, specifically in the Andes. Smith proposed that this distinct morphology warranted its own familial classification, separate from other well-established orders like the Asteraceae. However, subsequent phylogenetic studies, utilizing molecular data, have not supported the monophyly of Fluorestaceae as originally defined. Current botanical consensus generally places the species Smith included within Fluorestaceae into existing families, most notably within the Campanulaceae or as related to certain genera within the Gentianales. The term Fluorestaceae is therefore largely considered a historical or informal designation rather than a recognized taxonomic rank.