• Plants (Kingdom Plantae)

• Vascular Plants (Phylum Tracheophyta)

• Flowering Plants (Subphylum Angiospermae)

• Dicots (Class Magnoliopsida)

• Caltrops and Ratanies (Order Zygophyllales)

​

Order Zygophyllales is a small but ecologically important order of flowering plants (angiosperms) composed primarily of the families Zygophyllaceae and Krameriaceae. With more than 300 species, members of this order are distributed mainly in arid, semi-arid, and Mediterranean regions of the world, where they have evolved remarkable adaptations to drought, heat, and nutrient-poor soils. Species range from annual herbs and perennial shrubs to small trees, many with thick, resinous leaves, deep root systems, or reduced foliage that minimize water loss.