The rose family (Rosaceae) is a large family of dicotyledonous plants with 3000-4000 species in 100-120 genera. Rosaceae can be trees, shrubs, or herbaceous plants. The herbs are mostly perennials, but some annuals also exist.
The name is derived from the type genus Rosa. Among the most species-rich genera are Alchemilla (270), Sorbus (260), Crataegus (260), Cotoneaster (260), Rubus (250),and Prunus (200).
The Rosaceae have a cosmopolitan distribution, being found nearly everywhere except for Antarctica. They are primarily concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere in regions that are not desert or tropical rainforest.
The rose family is arguably one of the six most economically important crop plant families. Important products come from Rosaceae. It includes many edible fruits, such as apples, pears, quinces, apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, raspberries, strawberries, and almonds. It also includes popular ornamental trees and shrubs.Many genera are also highly valued ornamental plants.
A fun fact: of all the honey that a bee colony needs per year to survive, a large part comes from plants from the rose family.
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Image of Robert Lederer via Unsplash
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