According to molecular analyses, the myco-heterotrophic type of life that these species lead evolved six (or even more) times independently in the three clades that are part of Burmanniaceae. Afrothismia and tribe Thismieae represent two of these shifts to myco-heterotrophy from autotrophy while Burmanniaceae sensu stricto are the clade where the other four took place. The family appears in the 晚白堊世 but the further diversification and shifts to the typical habit occurred later in the same period and continued after the 白堊紀-古近紀界線 in 古近紀.[10]
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