Mazaceae
Mazaceae Reveal was segregated from the broadly circumscribed Scrophulariaceae following molecular phylogenetic studies, which demonstrated that the genus Mazus and its allies form a distinct evolutionary lineage. Mazaceae comprises approximately 4 genera and 40–45 species, distributed mainly in Asia, with a few species extending into Australia and New Zealand. Members are characterized by herbaceous habits, opposite or rosulate leaves, bilabiate flowers, didynamous stamens, and capsular fruits.
Key characteristics
- Annual or perennial herbs
- Leaves opposite or in basal rosettes
- Flowers bilabiate and strongly zygomorphic
- Corolla sympetalous
- Stamens usually four (didynamous)
- Superior bicarpellate ovary
- Fruit a loculicidal capsule
- Numerous small seeds
Distribution
Mazaceae is distributed mainly in temperate and subtropical Asia, with the greatest diversity occurring in China, the Himalayas, Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia. A few species extend to Australia and New Zealand. Members typically inhabit moist meadows, stream banks, forest margins, wetlands, rice fields, and alpine grasslands. In Pakistan, Mazaceae occurs primarily in the Himalayan, Karakoram, and Hindu Kush regions, Swat, Chitral, Kaghan Valley, Murree Hills. Species are commonly found in moist alpine meadows, grasslands, stream margins, and forest clearings, generally at moderate to high elevations.