General Account and Diagnostic Features of the Families

General Account and Diagnostic Features of the Families : Fabaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Umbelliferae and Compositae Submitted By: Dr. Madhumita Bhattacharjee Assistant Professor Botany Deptt. Post Graduate Govt. Girls College Sector -11, Chandigarh

Family Fabaceae

Classification Class: Dicotyledones Sub-Class : Polypetalae Series : Order : Family : Calciflorae Rosales Fabaceae

Distribution • Fabaceae is a large and economically important family , which is commonly known as the legume family, pea family, bean family or pulse family • Fabaceae is the third largest family of flowering plants, with 730 genera and over 19, 400 species. • The species of this family are found throughout the world. • A number are important agricultural plants, including: Glycine max (soybean), Phaseolus (beans), Pisum sativum (pea), Cicer arietinum (chickpeas), Arachis hypogaea (peanut), and Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice)

Three subfamilies Of Fabaceae : Subfamily-Papilionaceae Subfamily-Caesalpinieae Subfamily-Mimoseae

Fabaceae - range in habit • Sub family : Papilionaceae - from herbs (Melilotus ) or herbaceous climber (Pisum sativum) • Sub family : Caesalpinieae - Mostly trees (Cassia fistula, Tamarindus indica • Sub family : Mimoseae - Mostly trees (Acacia) Leaves The leaves are usually alternate (pisum sativum) In the Mimosoideae and the Caesalpinioideae commonly bipinnate (e. g. Acacia, Mimosa). They always have stipules, which can be leaf-like (e. g. Pisum), . Both the leaves and the leaflets often have wrinkled pulvinito permit nastic movements. In some species, leaflets have evolved into tendrils (e. g. Vicia).

Subfamily- Papilionaceae (Lathyrus sp. )

Subfamily-Papilionaceae Ø Flower : bracteate , complete, zygomorphic, bisexual, pentamerous &hypogynous. Ø Calyx : have five generally fused sepals Ø Corolla : five free petals. Corolla is paplionaceous Ø Androecium ; . There are normally ten stamens (9+1) Ø Gynoecium : one elongated superior ovary, with a curved style. Fabaceae are typically entomophilous plants (i. e. they are pollinated by insects)

Lathyrus sp.

Diagnostic Features Of Papilionaceae v Flower zygomorphic v Gynoecium only one v Corolla papilionaceous with descending imbricate aestivation v Ovary monocarpellary

Subfamily-Caesalpinieae (Cassia Sp. )

Subfamily-Caesalpinieae § Flower : large, bracteate , complete, zygomorphic, bisexual, pentamerous & hypogynous. § Calyx : have five generally fused at base § Corolla : five free petals , alternate with sepals. § Androecium : There are normally ten stamens. diplostemonous with 2 alternate whorls of 5 stamens each. § Gynoecium : one elongated superior ovary, , unilocular ovary with marginal placentation. .

Cassia Sp.

Diagnostic Features Of Caesalpiniaceae v Flower zygomorphic v Corolla with ascending imbricate aestivation v Gynoecium usually monocarpellary

Subfamily- Mimoseae q Flower : minute, condenced, bracteate, sessile , comp lete, actinomorphic, bisexual, pentamerous & hypogynous. q Calyx : have five generally united into a small tube. q Corolla : five free petals, subconnate at base , alternate with sepals. q Androecium ; . There are numerous stamens, which are free. The anthers are dithecous, introrse. q Gynoecium : one superior ovary, , unilocular ovary with marginal placentation. .

Subfamily- Mimoseae (Acacia Sp. )

Subfamily- Mimoseae (Acacia Sp. )

Diagnostic Features Of Mimosaceae v Flower actinomorphic v Gynoecium usually one & superior v Corolla valvate v Fruit lomentum

FAMILY CUCURBITACEAE

Classification Class: Dicotyledones Sub-Class : Polypetalae Series : Calciflorae Order : Passiflorales Family : Cucurbitaceae

Distribution • Cucurbitaceae is a plant family commonly known as melons, gourds or cucurbits. • It includes crops like cucumbers, squashes, pumpkins, luffas, melons and watermelons. • The family is predominantly distributed around the tropics. • Family consist of 110 genera & 640 Species.

Habit The Cucurbits are mostly prostrate or climbing herbaceous annuals

Vegetative characters • Stem : Usually herbaceous, branched, hairy that are further characterized by having 5 -angled stems and coiled tendrils. • Leaves : The leaves are alternate and usually palmately 5 -lobed or divided; stipules are absent.

Floral Characters

Floral Characters • Flower: Yellow or white, actinomorphic, pentamerous, epigynous and always unisexual. • Calyx : 5 sepals forming a tube with imbricate or valvate aestivation. • Corolla : 5 petals , sympetalous corolla.

• The Androecium is highly variable, consisting of 5 distinct to completely connate stamens that frequently are twisted. • Gynoecium : The gynoecium consists of a single compound pistil of 2 -5 carpels, generally with one style An inferior ovary with one locule and usually numerous ovules on 2 -5 parietal placentae. • Fruit : The fruit is a type of berry called a pepo Androecium Fruit

Luffa sp.

Luffa sp.

Diagnostic Features Of Cucurbitaceae v Flower usually unisexual v Stamens 5 v Carpel usually 3, stigma forked v Fruit pepo

Family Umbelliferae

Classification Class: Dicotyledones Sub-Class : Polypetalae Series : Calciflorae Order : Umbellales Family : Umbelliferae ( Apiaceae)

Distribution • The Apiaceae or Umbelliferae is a family of usually aromatic plants with hollow stems, commonly known as umbellifers. • It includes cumin, parsley, anise, carrot, corianderl, caraway, fennel. • It is a large family with about 300 genera and more than 3, 000 species • The earlier name Umbelliferae derives from the inflorescence being generally in the form of a compound "umbel“. • In India it is found in the temperate & alpine Himalayas

Habit The Umbellifers are mostly biennial or perennial herbs

Vegetative characters § Stem : The stems are often furrowed. Some part of the plant will usually have a strong aroma. These aromas of carrot, parsley, coriander, parsnip, celery, fennel, dill and anise are due primarily to various oils produced by the plant. § Leaves : The leaves are alternate, but generraly pinnately compound. The petiole is often swollen & sheathing at the base

Floral Characters

Inflorescence (umbel) The compound flowers are almost always concentrated in flat-topped umbels; the rays of the primary umbel giving rise to a secondary unbel with the flower-bearing pedicels

Floral Characters Ø Flower : Small, actinomorphic, bisexual, pentamerous and epigynous Ø Calyx : Represented by 5 inconspicuous teeth at the top of ovary. Ø Corolla : 5 petals with imbricate aestivation. Ø Androecial: 5 stamens, dorsifixed, dithecous, &introrse Ø Gynoecium: Bicarpellary, syncarpous with inferior ovary. Axile placentation, a stylopodium is present on the top of ovary Ø Seed : The seeds and fruit form below where the petals and stamen originate. Seeds are in tight pairs, often conspicuously ribbed, and sometime "winged".

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum) • Coriander is an annual herbin the family Apiaceae. It is also known as Chinese parsley or, particularly in the Americas, cilantro. • Coriander is native to southern Europe and North Africa to southwestern Asia. • It is a soft, hairless plant growing to 50 centimetres (20 in) tall. • The leaves are variable in shape, broadly lobed at the base of the plant, and slender and feathery higher on the flowering stems. • The flowers are borne in small umbels, white or very pale pink. The fruit is a globular dry schizocarp 3– 5 mm diameter.

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)

Diagnostic Features Of Umbelliferae (Apiaceae) § Stems fistular § Leaves alternate, exstipulate, much dissected with sheathing leaf base § Carpels 2, fused, with 2 style on swollen base (stylopodium) § Fruit schizocarpic, splitting into 2 mericarps

Family Asteraceae (Compositae)

Classification Class: Dicotyledones Sub-Class : Polypetalae Series : Order : Family : Calciflorae Asterales Asteraceae (Compositae)

Distribution • The Asteraceae or Compositae, also referred to as the aster, daisy, or sunflower family, • It is one of the largest family of flowering plants. The family has more than 22, 750 currently accepted species, spread across 1620 genera, and 12 subfamilies. Ex: Sunflower, Marigold, lettuce , carrot grass • The largest genera are Senecio (1, 500 species), Vernonia(1, 000 species), Cousinia (600 species) and Centaurea(600 species) • The plants of this family are chiefly found in the Himalayas & mountains of Southern & western India.

Habit Plants are mostly annual or perennial herbs

Vegetative characters Stem : Some sp. Produce stem tuber and some has tuberous root. The root & stems contains oil passages Leaves : Leaves are alternate or whorled, simpleor pinnately or palmately compound, exstipulate

Inflorescence (capitulum) The most evident characteristic of Asteraceae is their inflorescence: a specialised capitulum, but generally referred to as flower head. The capitulum is composed of numerous individual sessile flowers called the florets, all sharing the same receptacle.

Inflorescence • In the sunflower family (Asteraceae), what looks like a single flower is actually a flower head composed of many small flowers. • Each flower has sepals (modified into pappus), petals, stamens, and a pistil. • In a typical member of the sunflower family, there are two different types of flowers. The "petals" that are around the edge of the flower head are the ray flowers. In the center of the flower head are many disk flowers. • The base of the flower head is the receptacle. • Some plants have only disk flowers. Other plants, such as dandelions have only ray flowers.

Floral Characters • . Flowers : Mostly bisexual, sometimes unisexual or neutral, pentamerous and epigynous. • Calyx : The calyx of the florets may be absent, but when present it is always modified into a pappus of two or more teeth. • Corolla: The florets have five petals fused at the base to form a corolla tube. Disc florets are usually actinomorphic. . Ray florets are always highly zygomorphic and have a ligule, a strap-shaped structure. • Androecium ; There are usually five stamens. The filaments are fused to the corolla, while the anthers are fused(syngenesious anthers). • Gynoecium : The pistil is made of two connate carpels. The style has two lobes. The ovary is inferior and has only one ovule, with basal placentation.

Helianthus Sp.

Helianthus Sp.

Ageratum sp.

Ageratum sp.

Diagnostic Features Of Compositae (Asteraceae) v Leaves generally alternate. v Inflorescence Capitulum. v Calyx reduced to hairy pappus. v Stamens epipetalous & syngenecious

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