The food plants listed here are classified according to names and relationships accepted by the Angiosperm Phylogeny Website, maintained by the Missouri Botanical Garden: Stevens, P. F. (2001 onwards). Angiosperm Phylogeny Website. Version 12, July 2012.

Obviously, this list does not include the full diversity of plants, or even a complete listing of plant families.  Even if it did, it would be subject to change, as plant scientists are continually reconstructing evolutionary history to improve our understanding of how plant species are related.  The APG website provides a terrific discussion of how we should think about classification and phylogenetic trees.

Names ending in “ales” are of the taxonomic level of “order.”  Names ending in “aceae” are at the level of “family.”

Not meat, but also not plants:  fungi and most algae

Green Plants: green algae and land plants

• Green algae (Ulva – sea lettuce)

Land plants: bryophytes (mosses, etc) and plants with well-developed vascular tissue (e.g. lycophytes, ferns, gymnosperms, angiosperms)

• Fern fiddleheads

Seed plants:  gymnosperms (conifers, cycads, etc) and flowering plants (angiosperms)

Gymnosperms

1. Pinales
   1. Pinaceae
      1. Pine nuts (Pinus species)
      2. Araucaria nuts
      3. Juniper berries (Juniperus communis)
      4. Spruce tips (Picea)
2. Ginkgoales
   1. Ginkgoaceae: ginkgo nuts (Ginkgo biloba)

Flowering plants (angiosperms)

1. Austrobaileyales
   1. Illiaceae: Star anise (Illicium verum)
2. Piperales
   1. Piperaceae: Black, white, and green pepper (Piper nigrum)
3. Magnoliales
   1. Annonaceae: custard apple family; many edible species in all genera, not just in Asiminia  and Annona
      1. Pawpaw (Asimina triloba)
      2. Annona: many edible species including:
         1. soursop/guanabana (A. muricata)
         2. cherimoya (A. cherimola)
         3. African custard-apple (A. chrysophylla)
         4. African custard-apple (A. senegalensis)
   2. Myristicaceae: Nutmeg/mace (Myristica fragrans)
4. Laurales
   1. Lauraceae
      1. Bay laurel
      2. Cinnamon
      3. Sassafras
      4. Avocado
5. Alismatales
   1. Araceae: Colocasia esculenta –  taro root
6.  Asparagales
   1. Alliaceae (=Amaryllidaceae)
      1. Onion
      2. Shallot
      3. Garlic
      4. Ramps
      5. Leek
      6. Scallion
      7. Chives
   2. Asparagaceae
      1. Asparagus
      2. Agave
   3. Orchidaceae: Vanilla
   4. Iridaceae: saffron
7. Dioscoreales
   1. Dioscoreaceae: Yam (not sweet potato)
8. Arecales
   1. Arecaceae
      1. Coconut (Cocos nucifera)
      2. Dates (Phoenix dactylifera)
      3. Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis)
      4. Heart of palm
      5. palm sugar
      6. carnauba wax
      7. Açaí and other palm fruits
9. Zingiberales
   1. Musaceae: Banana and plantain
   2. Zingiberaceae
      1. Ginger
      2. Cardamom
      3. Turmeric
10. Poales
    1. Bromeliaceae: pineapple
    2. Cyperaceae: Cyperus esculentus
    3. Poaceae
       1. Wheat
       2. Rice
       3. Corn
       4. Teff
       5. Millet
       6. Rye
       7. Oat
       8. Barley
       9. Sugarcane
       10. Sorghum
       11. Lemongrass
       12. Bamboo
11. Ranunculales
    1. Papaveraceae: Poppyseed
    2. Ranunculaceae: Nigella seeds
    3. Berberidaceae: Berberis (barberry)
12. Proteales
    1. Proteaceae: Macadamia
13.  Saxifragales
    1. Grossulariaceae: Currant and Gooseberry
14. Vitales
    1. Vitaceae: Grape
15. Oxalidales
    1. Oxalidaceae
       1. Star fruit (Averrhoa carambola)
       2. Oca (Oxalis tuberosa)
16. Malpighiales
    1. Passifloraceae: Passion fruit (Passiflora edulis)
    2. Euphorbiaceae:
       1. Cassava, manioc (Manihot esculenta)
       2. Sacha inchi (Plukenetia volubilis)
    3. Linaceae: flax
17. Fagales
    1. Fagaceae: chestnut (Castanea)
    2. Betulaceae:
       1. hazelnut/filbert (Corylus)
       2. birch (Betula)
    3. Juglandaceae
       1. Walnut
       2. Hickory and Pecan
18. Cucurbitales
    1. Cucurbitaceae
       1. The Cucurbita pepo group:  acorn squash, gem squash, pattypan squash, pumpkin, spaghetti squash, yellow crookneck squash, yellow summer squash, zucchini
       2. Other squashes (mostly Cucurbita maxima and C. moschata):  butternut, hubbard, delicata, turban, banana, kobocha
       3. Melons:  honeydew, muskmelon, cantaloupe, watermelon
       4. Cucumber
       5. Chayote squash
       6. horned melon
       7. bitter melon
       8. monk fruit (Siraitia grosvenorii)
19. Rosales
    1. Rosaceae
       1. Rose
       2. Prunus spp.
          1. Almond (Prunus dulcis)
          2. Prunus persica
             1. Peach
             2. Nectarine
          3. Apricot (Prunus armeniaca)
          4. Cherry (Prunus avium)
          5. Plum (Prunus domestica)
          6. sloe (blackthorn; Prunus spinosa)
          7. chokecherry (Prunus virginiana)
          8. beach plum (Prunus maritima)
          9. cherry plum (Prunus cerasifera)
          10. many other species (430 in all)
       3. Rubus spp.:  raspberry, blackberry, others
       4. Strawberry
       5. Apple
       6. Pear
       7. Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier)
       8. medlar
       9. quince
       10. loquat
       11. Aronia (chokeberries)
    2. Moraceae
       1. Fig
       2. Mulberry
       3. jackfruit and breadfruit
    3. Urticaceae: Nettles
    4. Elaeagnaceae
       1. sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)
       2. soapberries (Shepherdia spp.)
       3. Elaeagnus multiflora
    5. Cannabaceae
       1. hops
       2. hemp
20. Fabales
    1. Fabaceae
       1. Tamarind
       2. String Beans (various)
       3. Dry Beans (various, black-eyed peas, chick peas)
       4. Lentils
       5. Peas
       6. Carob
       7. Peanut
       8. Jicama
       9. Soy
21. Myrtales
    1. Lythraceae: Pomegranate (Punica granatum)
    2. Myrtaceae
       1. Clove
       2. Guava
       3. Allspice
       4. feijoa
22. Brassicales
    1. Brassicaceae
       1. Brassica oleracea: Kale, Cabbage, Brussels Sprouts, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Kohlrabi, Collard Greens
       2. Mustard greens
       3. Napa cabbage
       4. Mizuna
       5. Bok choi
       6. Mustard
       7. Radishes
       8. Canola Oil
       9. Rutabagas
       10. Turnip
       11. Horseradish/wasabi
       12. Watercress
       13. Arugula
       14. Tatsoi
       15. Maca
    2. Caricaceae: Papaya
    3. Capparaceae: Capers
    4. Tropaeolaceae
       1. Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus)
       2. Mashwa (Tropaeolum tuberosum)
23. Sapindales
    1. Sapindaceae: Maple syrup (Acer species)
    2. Anacardiaceae  (poison oak/ivy/sumac family)
       1. Mango
       2. Pistachio
       3. Cashew
       4. Pink peppercorns (Schinus terebinthifolius)
    3. Rutaceae
       1. Citrus: lemon, lime, grapefruit, orange, bergamot, various citrons, kaffir lime leaves
       2. Sichuan peppercorns (Zanthoxylum simulans)
24. Malvales
    1. Bixaceae: annato/achiote
    2.  Malvaceae
       1. Cocoa butter, chocolate (Theobroma cacao)
       2. Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis)
       3. Durian fruit
       4. Okra
       5. Hibiscus flower tea
25. Caryophyllales
    1. Polygonaceae
       1. Buckwheat
       2. Rhubarb
       3. Sorrel
    2. Portulacaceae: Purslane and miner’s lettuce
    3. Caryophyllaceae: chickweed
    4.  Basellaceae:
       1. Malabar Spinach (Basella alba)
       2. ullucu (Ullucus tuberosus)
    5.  Cactaceae
       1. Dragon fruit
       2. Prickly Pear fruits and pads
    6. Amaranthaceae
       1. Amaranth seeds and leaves
       2. Quinoa
       3. Spinach
       4. Chard
       5. Beets
       6. Sea beans (Salicornia)
26. Ericales
    1. Actinidiaceae: Kiwifruit fuzziness and greenness
    2. Theaceae: Tea
    3. Ericaceae
       1. Cranberry
       2. Blueberry
       3. Huckleberry
       4. Wintergreen
    4. Lecythidaceae: Brazilnut
    5. Ebenaceae: Persimmon (Diospyros species)
    6. Sapotaceae:
       1. Sapodilla, sapote, chicle (Manilkara)
       2. lúcuma (Manilkara)
       3. shea
       4. “miracle fruit” (Synsepalum dulcificum)
       5. argan oil (Argania spinosa)
27. Gentianales
    1. Rubiaceae
       1. coffee
       2. cinchona
28. Solanales
    1. Solanaceae
       1. Tomato
       2. Potato
       3. Eggplant
       4. Tobacco
       5. Peppers
       6. Tomatillo
       7. Andean and Himalayan and tropical sweet fruits:  Inca golden berries and goji berries and tree tomatoes, ground cherries
    2. Convolvulaceae: Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), not yam
29. Lamiales
    1. Verbenaceae: lemon verbena
    2.  Lamiaceae
       1. Herbs such as mint, thyme, basil, marjoram, savory, oregano, lavender, rosemary, sage, hyssop, lemon balm
       2. Chia seeds
       3. African Livingstone potato tubers (Plectranthus esculentus and P. rotundifolius)
    3. Oleaceae: Olive
    4. Pedaliaceae: Sesame (Sesamum)
30. Aquifoliales
    1. Aquifoliaceae: Yerba mate, holly (Ilex paraguariensis)
31. Dipsacales
    1. Caprifoliaceae
       1. Valerian
       2. Lamb’s lettuce/mâche
       3. Honeyberry (Lonicera caerulea)
    2. Adoxaceae
       1. Elderberry (Sambucus)
       2. Nannyberry and highbush cranberry (Viburnum spp.)
32. Boraginales: Boraginaceae: comfrey and borage
33.  Asterales
    1. Campanulaceae: Rapunzel
    2.  Asteraceae
       1. Tarragon
       2. Sunflower (seeds, sprouts)
       3. Lettuce
       4. Artichoke
       5. Sunchoke
       6. Chicories
       7. Dandelion
       8. Edible chyrysanthemum
       9. Yacón (Smallanthus sonchifolius)
       10. Chamomile
       11. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana)
34. Apiales
    1. Apiaceae
       1. Carrot (root, tops)
       2. Celery (root, stem/leaves, seed)
       3. Parsley (root and leaves)
       4. Cilantro/coriander
       5. Cumin
       6. Fennel (stems, seeds)
       7. Caraway
       8. Anise seed
       9. Parsnip
       10. Dill
       11. Chervil
       12. Lovage
       13. Ajwain
       14. Angelica
       15. Arracacia xanthorrhiza root