Plants of Thailand

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Kingdom: Plantae

Thailand has approximately 15,000 species of plant which account for 8% of estimated total number of plant species found globally. Due to the vast number of plant families we are grouping these under their respective orders and following The Plant List to ascertain species validity.

Each species page contains local English, Thai and Chinese names where available, along side global distribution and locations where we have photographed each species.

Angiosperms (Flowering Plants)

Angiosperms are seed-bearing vascular plants. Their reproductive structures are flowers in which the ovules are enclosed in an ovary. Angiosperms are found in almost every habitat from forests and grasslands to sea margins and deserts. Angiosperms display a huge variety of life forms including trees, herbs, submerged aquatics, bulbs and epiphytes. The largest plant families are Orchids, and Compositae (daisies) and Legumes (beans). There are an estimated 352,000 species of flowering plants or angiosperms. The Plant List

Families: Acanthaceae, Aizoaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Anacardiaceae, Annonaceae,Apocynaceae, Araceae, Aristolochiaceae, Asparagaceae, Asteraceae

Acanthaceae
Acanthus Family

Aizoaceae
Iceplants

Alismataceae
Water-plantain Family

Amaranthaceae
Pigweed Family

Amaryllidaceae
Amaryllis Family

Anacardiaceae
Rhus Family

Annonaceae
Custard-apple Family

Apocynaceae
Dogbane Family

Araceae
Arum Family

Aristolochiaceae
Birthwort Family

Asparagaceae
Asparagus Family

Asteraceae
Daisy Family

Families: Balanophoraceae, Basellaceae, Balsaminaceae, Begoniaceae, Bignoniaceae, Bixaceae, Boraginaceae, Bromeliaceae

Balanophoraceae
Balanophora Family

Basellaceae
Madeira-vine Family

Balsaminaceae
Balsam Family

Begoniaceae
Begonia Family

Bignoniaceae
Jacaranda Family

Bixaceae
Bixa Family

Boraginaceae
Borage Family

Bromeliaceae
Bromeliads

Families: Cactaceae, Calophyllaceae, Campanulaceae, Cannaceae, Capparaceae, Caricaceae, Cleomaceae, Clusiaceae, Colchicaceae, Combretaceae, Commelinaceae, Convolvulaceae, Costaceae, Crassulaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Cyperaceae

Cactaceae
Cactus Family

Calophyllaceae
-

Campanulaceae
Bellflower Family

Cannaceae
Indian Shot Family

Capparaceae
Caper Family

Caricaceae
Pawpaw Family

Cleomaceae
Cleome Family

Clusiaceae
Mangosteen Family

Colchicaceae
Flame Lily Family

Combretaceae
White Mangrove or Indian Almond Family

Commelinaceae
Spiderwort Family

Convolvulaceae
Morning-glory Family

Costaceae
Costus Family

Crassulaceae
Crassula Family

Cucurbitaceae
Gourds, Melons, Squash & Cucumbers

Cyperaceae
Sedge Family

Families: Dilleniaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Dipterocarpaceae, Droseraceae

Dilleniaceae
-

Dioscoreaceae
Yam Family

Dipterocarpaceae
Meranti Family

Droseraceae
Sundew Family

Families: Ebenaceae, Euphorbiaceae

Ebenaceae
Ebony Family

Euphorbiaceae
Euphorbia Family

Families: Fabaceae

Fabaceae
Legume, Pea or Bean Family

Families: Gesneriaceae, Goodeniaceae

Gesneriaceae
African Violet Family

Goodeniaceae
Goodenia Family

Families: Heliconiaceae, Hydroleaceae, Hypericaceae

Heliconiaceae
Lobster-claw Family

Hydroleaceae
-

Hypericaceae
-

Families: Iridaceae

Iridaceae
Iris Family

Families: Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Lecythidaceae, Lentibulariaceae, Linderniaceae, Lythraceae

Lamiaceae
Mint and Basil Family

Lauraceae
Laurel Family

Lecythidaceae
Brazil-nut Family

Lentibulariaceae
Bladderwort Family

Linderniaceae
-

Lythraceae
Mangrove Apple

Families: Magnoliaceae, Malpighiaceae, Malvaceae, Melastomataceae, Meliaceae, Menispermaceae, Molluginaceae, Moraceae, Muntingiaceae, Musaceae, Myrtaceae

Magnoliaceae
Magnolia Family

Malpighiaceae
Barbados Cherry Family

Malvaceae
Linden or Mallow Family

Melastomataceae
Melastomas

Meliaceae
Mahogany Family

Menispermaceae
Moonseed Family

Molluginaceae
Carpet-weeds

Moraceae
Fig Family

Muntingiaceae
-

Musaceae
Banana Family

Myrtaceae
Myrtaceae

Families: Nepenthaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Nymphaeacea

Nepenthaceae
Pitcher Plants

Nyctaginaceae
Bougainvillea Family

Nymphaeaceae
Water-lilies

Families: Ochnaceae, Olacaceae, Oleaceae, Onagraceae, Orchidaceae, Orobanchaceae, Oxalidaceae

Ochnaceae
Ochna Family

Olacaceae
Sour Plum Family

Oleaceae
Olive Family

Onagraceae
Evening Primrose Family

Orchidaceae
Orchids

Orobanchaceae
Broomrape Family

Oxalidaceae
Oxalis or Sorrel Family

Families: Passifloraceae, Pedaliaceae, Pentaphylacaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Phytolaccaceae, Plantaginaceae, Plumbaginaceae, Poaceae, Polygonaceae, Pontederiaceae, Portulacaceae

Passifloraceae
Passion Flower Family

Pedaliaceae
Sesame Family

Pentaphylacaceae
-

Phyllanthaceae
-

Phytolaccaceae
Pokeweed Family

Plantaginaceae
Plantain Family

Plumbaginaceae
Leadworts

Poaceae
True Grasses

Polygonaceae
Knotweed Family

Pontederiaceae
Pickerel-weed

Portulacaceae
Purslane Family

Families: Rafflesiaceae, Rhamnaceae, Rubiaceae, Rutaceae

Rafflesiaceae
Rafflesias

Rhamnaceae
Buffalo-thorn Family

Rubiaceae
Coffee Family

Rutaceae
Citrus Family

Families: Salicaceae, Sapindaceae, Saururaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Solanaceae, Stemonaceae

Salicaceae
Willow Family

Sapindaceae
Soapberry Family

Saururaceae
-

Scrophulariaceae
Figwort Family

Solanaceae
Nightshade or Potato Family

Stemonaceae
Stemona Family

Families: Talinaceae, Typhaceae

Talinaceae
-

Typhaceae
Bulrush

Families: Urticaceae

Urticaceae
Nettle Family

Families: Verbenaceae, Vitaceae

Verbenaceae
Verbena Family

Vitaceae
Wild Grape Family

Families: Xanthorrhoeaceae, Xyridaceae

Xanthorrhoeaceae
Aloe Family

Xyridaceae
Yellow-eyed-grass Family

Families: Zingiberaceae, Zygophyllaceae

Zingiberaceae
Ginger Family

Zygophyllaceae
Calthrop Family

Pteridophytes (Ferns and fern allies)

Pteridophytes are vascular plants and have leaves (known as fronds), roots and sometimes true stems, and tree ferns have full trunks. Examples include ferns, horsetails and club-mosses. Fronds in the largest species of ferns can reach some six metres in length! Many ferns from tropical rain forests are epiphytes, which means they only grow on other plant species; their water comes from the damp air or from rainfall running down branches and tree trunks. There are also some purely aquatic ferns such as water fern or water velvet (Salvinia molesta) and mosquito ferns (Azolla species). Pteridophytes do not have seeds or flowers either, instead they also reproduce via spores. There are around 13,000 species of Pteridophytes. The Plant List

Families: Lygodiaceae, Marsileaceae, Polypodiaceae, Salviniaceae, Selaginellaceae, Thelypteridaceae

Lygodiaceae
Climbing Ferns

Marsileaceae
Water-clovers and Pillworts

Polypodiaceae
Licorice Ferns

Salviniaceae
Mosquito Fern

Selaginellaceae
Spikemosses

Thelypteridaceae
Marsh Fern Family

References:
The Plant List