150 species and occurs in mountain forests from Mexico to Bolivia. Monnina is easily distinguished from other Polygalaceous genera by its blue and yellow papilionaceous flowers and its drupaceous fruits. Detailed studies on the vascular anatomy of the Polygalaceae flowers has been carried out and a phylogeny, constructed by means of a cladistic analysis, proposed. The genus Pteromonnina was established in order to accommodate species of the former Monnina subg Pterocarya with samaroid fruits. 20 species of the genera Polygala, Securidaca, Moutabea, Diclidanthera, and Bredemeyera.
Today there is a total of ca.
250 species in South America distributed from the Carribean Coast in the north to Tierra del Fuego in the south. The subgenus Valeriana is characterized by tetrasporangiate anthers and comprize all European, all North American, and a few Central and South American species. The subgenus Phyllactis has reduced, bisporangiate anthers and is restricted in its distribution to South and Central America. In Ecuador, the genus Valeriana occurs from the lower mountain forest at ca. 600 m altitude up to the snow limit at 4.800 m.