New NCERT Topic - Description Of Some Important Families
MALVACEAE Economic importance: In horticulture, the family
Malvaceae is a family of plants that includes mallows, Malvaceae has been used for centuries to make fibres,
Hibiscus, and monkshood (order Malvales), food,medicine, and timber. Some of the important species
Containing at least 4,000 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees. with the products they produce are listed below.
Vegetative characters Gossypium sp. (cotton), Corchorus sp. (tossa and
Stem: It has branched, erect, branched at the nodes, white jute), Hibiscus sp., Theobroma cacao (cacao),
cylindrical, solid, with stellate hairs usually on the stem. Abelomoschus esculentus (okra).
Leaves: simple or alternate, rounded, palmately divided,
stipulate, generally palmately veined forms.
Floral characters
Inflorescence: cymose(rare), racemose(mostly), solitary Need to Know
Flower: Bracteate. Flowers are bisexual, actinomorphic,
hypogynous and pentamerous. P The Epi in floral formula of Malvaceae denotes epicalyx
Calyx: sepals five, gamosepalous, valvate aestivation. In (Bracteoles) which are present as 3-7 in number.
some of the plants persistant calyx are present, it means These are the transformed bracteoles & are free and
they are present on fruit. green in colour
Corolla: Petals five, polypetalous, twisted aestivation,
mucilagenous and attractive.
Androecium: Typically, 5-10 stamens are arranged in a
CRUCIFERAE
tube around the pistil connate at, their bases. Stamens are Brassicaceae, formerly Cruciferae, the mustard family of flowering
monoadelphous. plants(order Brassicales), composed of 338 genera and some
Gynoecium: Pentacarpellary or polycarpellary, 3,700 species. Brassicaceae can be found almost on the entire land
syncarpous but stigma’s are free, so gynoecium is in surface of the earth, but the family is absent.
completely syncarpous. Pentalocular or multilocular,
ovary hypogynous, rarely perigynous. Vegetative characters
Fruit: Loculicidal capsule, rarely berry. Stem: erect, herbaceous, slightly hairy
Seed: Non-endospermic seeds.
Leaves: The leaves are mostly simple and alternately
Floral Formula:
arranged, and many are peppery-flavoured.
Br ⊕ ♂ Epi3–7 K(5) C5 A(x) G (5 –)
+ Corolla Floral characters
Inflorescence: Raceme, indeterminate growth
Flower: flowers are bisexual, actinomorphic (radial or regular).
Stamens Calyx
Epicalyx Calyx: sepals four (separate)
Stigmas
Ovary Corolla: petals four ( separate), often clawed, cruciform
Leaf
Flower Pedicel Calyx
Ovary wall Epicalyx
Androecium: 6, tetradynamous (4 tall, 2 short)
Bud
Placenta Anther lobe Gynoecium: 2 united carpels, superior ovary (hypogynous
Ovule flower); ovules have parietal placentation
T.S.Ovary
Connective Fruit: dry, dehiscent. silicle (short, squat), silique (longer
Stem filament Stamen than wide by 3X)
Flowering
Twig Stigma
Seeds: Non endospermic
Floral Formula:
Stamens Style
Staminal
tube
Ovary
Stamen on
Staminal tube Thalamus Economic importance: Crops-many; Brassica (mustard
Floral diagram and cabbage), kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower,
Fig. 38: Details of Floral parts and floral diagram of turnip.
China rose (Hibiscus)
P
W Morphology of Flowering Plants 1
, Stigma Economic importance
Stamen Pulses: E.g., Gram, Arhar, Sem, Moong, Soyabean
Corolla Ovary
Edible oil: E.g., Soyabean, Groundnut
Fruit Sepal
A Flower Calyx
Dye: E.g., Indigofera
Flowers L.S. of Flower
Fibres: E.g., Sunhemp
K
C Fibres: E.g., Sesbania, Trifotium
A Ornamentals: E.g., Lupin, Sweet pea
G
Calyx Medicine: E.g., Muliathi
A Flowering Twig Placenta
POACEAE/GRAMINAE
Ovary Wall Poaceae, earlier called Gramineae (grass) family of
Ovule Floral Diagram
Stigma monocotyledonous flowering plants. They grow on all parts of
Locules
T.S. of Ovary the world, in desert to freshwater and marine habitats, and tundra.
Style Vegetative characters
Corolla Androecium
and Gynoecium Stem: The stem may be underground as in rhizome or
Fig. 39: Floral diagram with floral formula of mustard runner, herbacius (Wheat, Rice, Doob), shrub like or
woody and tall (Bamboo)
LEGUMINOSAE (FABACEAE)
Leguminosae family is devided into 3 – subfamilies: Leaves: are alternate, simple, exstipulate, and distichous.
Papilionoideae,/Caesalpinioideae and Mimosoideae Floral characters
It is distributed all over the world.
Inflorescence: The primary inflorescence of grasses is
Vegetative Characters the spikelet, a small structure consisting of a short axis,
Trees, shrubs, herbs; root with root nodules. the rachilla, to which are attached chaffy, overlapping
Stem: erect or climber scales (glumes) that cover the florets.
Leaves: alternate, pinnately compound or simple; leaf
Flower: Flowers are zygomorphic, may be bisexual or
base, pulvinate; stipulate; venation reticulate.
unisexual (Rarely).
Floral characters
Inflorescence: Racemose Perianth: two perianths.
Flower: Bisexual, Zygomorphic Androecium: three stamens, Polyandrous
Calyx: Sepals five, gamosepalous; imbricate/valvate
Gynoecium: monocarpellary gynoecium, superior
aestivation
unilocular ovary with single ovule on basal placentation.
Corolla: Petals five, polypetalous, papilionaceous,
consisting of a posterior standard, two lateral wings, Fruit: Mostly one-seeded Caryopsis (fruit wall is
two anterior ones forming a keel (enclosing stamens and completely fused with the seed coat).
pistil), Vexillary aestivation. Floral Formula:
Androecium: Ten, diadelphous, anther dithecous
Br.% ♂ P2 A3 G1
Gynoecium: Ovary superior, Monocarpellary, unilocular +
with many ovules, style single, marginal placentation.
Fruit: Legume;
Seed: one to many, non-endospermic
Floral Formula: % + K(5) C1+2+(2)A(9)+1G1
D
Fig. 41: Oryza sativa (Poaceae). (A) Terminal part of plant bearing
Fig. 40: Pisum sativum (pea) plant: (a) Flowering twig (b) Flower panicle and spikelet and ligule, (B) Single spikelet, (C) Structure of the
(c) Petals (d) Reproductive parts (e) L.S.carpel (f) Floral diagram bisexual flower, (D) Floral diagram
Economic importance
2 NEET (XI) Module-1 Botany PW
, Food: These from the basic food of mankind. PARTS OF AN SUNFLOWER HEAD
These plants are: Triticum aestivum (Wheat), Avena united anthers disc floret
sativa, Zeamays(corn), Oryza sativa (rice), Hordeum disc floret bud
vulgare(barley), Penisetum typhoideum(Pearlmillet, united petals
Bajra), Sorghum vulgare(Jowar). pappus ray floret involucre
Fodders: The dried stems and leaves of the cereal crops achene bract
are used as fodder for the cattle. disc floret receptacle
ray floret
Sugar: Sugar is obtained from the juice of Saccharum
officinarum(sugarcane). Fig. 42: Sunflower : Infloresence with ray and disc florets
Ornamental plants: Many grasses are used in lawns,
e.g. Agrostis (floringrass), Poa annua (meadow grass).
Alcohol and beverages: Ethyl alcohol and many other
beverages are prepared form cereals and sugarcane molasses.
Uses of Bamboo: Bambusa (bamboo) are used as
building material. These are used for huts, making boats,
carts pipes etc. Ray florets Disc florets
COMPOSITAE- Sunflower family Br % O K(2-3) pappus C(3-5) A0 G(2) Br ⊕ O K pappus C(5) A(5) G(2)
+ +
It is largest family of angiosperms, having largest geographical Fig. 43: Sunflower : Floral formula of ray and disc florets
distribution. It is also known as Asteraceae. The name of this Economic importance:
family is based on its inflorescence. i. e. Star-like 1. Food: Leaves of Lactuca sativa are used as salad. The
Vegetative characters: roots of Helianthus tuberosus are edible.
2. Oil: The seeds of Helianthus and Artemisia yield oil.
Stem: Erect, or prostrate, herbaceous or woody
3. Medicinal: Solidago used in dropsy. Artemisia yields
(Artemisia), hairy, sometimes with latex. Stem tubers are
santonin which is used as vermifuge. The roots of
also present (Helianthus).
Taraxacum used in bowel disorders. The juice of Emillia
Leaves: Alternate rarely opposite or whorled. Leaves sonchifolia leaves has cooling effect and is used in eye
may be radical, petiolate or sessile, exstipulate, mostly inflammation and also for night blindness.
simple sometimes scale-like (Senecio), unicostate or 4. Insecticide: The capitula of Chrysanthemum roseum
multicostate reticulate venation. and C. cinerariifolium are dried, powdered and used as
Floral characters: insecticide.
Inflorescence: inflorescence capitulum or head Family Solanaceae
surrounded by involucre of bracts; ray and disc florets, Large family
flower tubular or ligulate. Also known as Potato family
Flower: flowers are bi - or unisexual or outer male or It is widely distributed in tropics, subtropics and
female, pentamerous, actinomorphic or zygomorphic. even temperate zones.
Calyx: Sepals are modified into pappus or absent or scale Vegetative Characters
like, valvate aestivation is present. Plants are mostly herbs, shrubs and rarely small trees.
Stem: herbaceous shrubs and rarely woody, aerial;
Corolla: corolla gamopetalous, petal five.
erect, cylindrical, branched, solid or hollow, hairy
Androecium: stamens 5, epipetalous, usually dithecous, or glabrous, underground stem in potato (Solanum
filament free and anthers united i.e. syngenesious. tuberosum)
Gynoecium: bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovary unilocular, Leaves: alternate, simple, rarely pinnately compound,
inferior (epigynous), with basal placentation. exstipulate; venation reticulate.
Floral Characters
Fruit: cypsela.
Inflorescence: Solitary, axillary or Cymose as in
Floral Formula:
Solanum
Floral formula of disc florets: Flower: Bisexual, Actinomorphic
Br ⊕ O K pappus C(5) A(5) G(2) Calyx: Sepals five, united, persistent, valvate
+
aestivation
Floral formula of ray florets:
Corolla: Petals five, united; valvate aestivation
Br % O K(2-3) pappus C(3-5) A0 G(2)
+ Androecium: Stamens five, epipetalous
P
W Morphology of Flowering Plants 3
MALVACEAE Economic importance: In horticulture, the family
Malvaceae is a family of plants that includes mallows, Malvaceae has been used for centuries to make fibres,
Hibiscus, and monkshood (order Malvales), food,medicine, and timber. Some of the important species
Containing at least 4,000 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees. with the products they produce are listed below.
Vegetative characters Gossypium sp. (cotton), Corchorus sp. (tossa and
Stem: It has branched, erect, branched at the nodes, white jute), Hibiscus sp., Theobroma cacao (cacao),
cylindrical, solid, with stellate hairs usually on the stem. Abelomoschus esculentus (okra).
Leaves: simple or alternate, rounded, palmately divided,
stipulate, generally palmately veined forms.
Floral characters
Inflorescence: cymose(rare), racemose(mostly), solitary Need to Know
Flower: Bracteate. Flowers are bisexual, actinomorphic,
hypogynous and pentamerous. P The Epi in floral formula of Malvaceae denotes epicalyx
Calyx: sepals five, gamosepalous, valvate aestivation. In (Bracteoles) which are present as 3-7 in number.
some of the plants persistant calyx are present, it means These are the transformed bracteoles & are free and
they are present on fruit. green in colour
Corolla: Petals five, polypetalous, twisted aestivation,
mucilagenous and attractive.
Androecium: Typically, 5-10 stamens are arranged in a
CRUCIFERAE
tube around the pistil connate at, their bases. Stamens are Brassicaceae, formerly Cruciferae, the mustard family of flowering
monoadelphous. plants(order Brassicales), composed of 338 genera and some
Gynoecium: Pentacarpellary or polycarpellary, 3,700 species. Brassicaceae can be found almost on the entire land
syncarpous but stigma’s are free, so gynoecium is in surface of the earth, but the family is absent.
completely syncarpous. Pentalocular or multilocular,
ovary hypogynous, rarely perigynous. Vegetative characters
Fruit: Loculicidal capsule, rarely berry. Stem: erect, herbaceous, slightly hairy
Seed: Non-endospermic seeds.
Leaves: The leaves are mostly simple and alternately
Floral Formula:
arranged, and many are peppery-flavoured.
Br ⊕ ♂ Epi3–7 K(5) C5 A(x) G (5 –)
+ Corolla Floral characters
Inflorescence: Raceme, indeterminate growth
Flower: flowers are bisexual, actinomorphic (radial or regular).
Stamens Calyx
Epicalyx Calyx: sepals four (separate)
Stigmas
Ovary Corolla: petals four ( separate), often clawed, cruciform
Leaf
Flower Pedicel Calyx
Ovary wall Epicalyx
Androecium: 6, tetradynamous (4 tall, 2 short)
Bud
Placenta Anther lobe Gynoecium: 2 united carpels, superior ovary (hypogynous
Ovule flower); ovules have parietal placentation
T.S.Ovary
Connective Fruit: dry, dehiscent. silicle (short, squat), silique (longer
Stem filament Stamen than wide by 3X)
Flowering
Twig Stigma
Seeds: Non endospermic
Floral Formula:
Stamens Style
Staminal
tube
Ovary
Stamen on
Staminal tube Thalamus Economic importance: Crops-many; Brassica (mustard
Floral diagram and cabbage), kale, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower,
Fig. 38: Details of Floral parts and floral diagram of turnip.
China rose (Hibiscus)
P
W Morphology of Flowering Plants 1
, Stigma Economic importance
Stamen Pulses: E.g., Gram, Arhar, Sem, Moong, Soyabean
Corolla Ovary
Edible oil: E.g., Soyabean, Groundnut
Fruit Sepal
A Flower Calyx
Dye: E.g., Indigofera
Flowers L.S. of Flower
Fibres: E.g., Sunhemp
K
C Fibres: E.g., Sesbania, Trifotium
A Ornamentals: E.g., Lupin, Sweet pea
G
Calyx Medicine: E.g., Muliathi
A Flowering Twig Placenta
POACEAE/GRAMINAE
Ovary Wall Poaceae, earlier called Gramineae (grass) family of
Ovule Floral Diagram
Stigma monocotyledonous flowering plants. They grow on all parts of
Locules
T.S. of Ovary the world, in desert to freshwater and marine habitats, and tundra.
Style Vegetative characters
Corolla Androecium
and Gynoecium Stem: The stem may be underground as in rhizome or
Fig. 39: Floral diagram with floral formula of mustard runner, herbacius (Wheat, Rice, Doob), shrub like or
woody and tall (Bamboo)
LEGUMINOSAE (FABACEAE)
Leguminosae family is devided into 3 – subfamilies: Leaves: are alternate, simple, exstipulate, and distichous.
Papilionoideae,/Caesalpinioideae and Mimosoideae Floral characters
It is distributed all over the world.
Inflorescence: The primary inflorescence of grasses is
Vegetative Characters the spikelet, a small structure consisting of a short axis,
Trees, shrubs, herbs; root with root nodules. the rachilla, to which are attached chaffy, overlapping
Stem: erect or climber scales (glumes) that cover the florets.
Leaves: alternate, pinnately compound or simple; leaf
Flower: Flowers are zygomorphic, may be bisexual or
base, pulvinate; stipulate; venation reticulate.
unisexual (Rarely).
Floral characters
Inflorescence: Racemose Perianth: two perianths.
Flower: Bisexual, Zygomorphic Androecium: three stamens, Polyandrous
Calyx: Sepals five, gamosepalous; imbricate/valvate
Gynoecium: monocarpellary gynoecium, superior
aestivation
unilocular ovary with single ovule on basal placentation.
Corolla: Petals five, polypetalous, papilionaceous,
consisting of a posterior standard, two lateral wings, Fruit: Mostly one-seeded Caryopsis (fruit wall is
two anterior ones forming a keel (enclosing stamens and completely fused with the seed coat).
pistil), Vexillary aestivation. Floral Formula:
Androecium: Ten, diadelphous, anther dithecous
Br.% ♂ P2 A3 G1
Gynoecium: Ovary superior, Monocarpellary, unilocular +
with many ovules, style single, marginal placentation.
Fruit: Legume;
Seed: one to many, non-endospermic
Floral Formula: % + K(5) C1+2+(2)A(9)+1G1
D
Fig. 41: Oryza sativa (Poaceae). (A) Terminal part of plant bearing
Fig. 40: Pisum sativum (pea) plant: (a) Flowering twig (b) Flower panicle and spikelet and ligule, (B) Single spikelet, (C) Structure of the
(c) Petals (d) Reproductive parts (e) L.S.carpel (f) Floral diagram bisexual flower, (D) Floral diagram
Economic importance
2 NEET (XI) Module-1 Botany PW
, Food: These from the basic food of mankind. PARTS OF AN SUNFLOWER HEAD
These plants are: Triticum aestivum (Wheat), Avena united anthers disc floret
sativa, Zeamays(corn), Oryza sativa (rice), Hordeum disc floret bud
vulgare(barley), Penisetum typhoideum(Pearlmillet, united petals
Bajra), Sorghum vulgare(Jowar). pappus ray floret involucre
Fodders: The dried stems and leaves of the cereal crops achene bract
are used as fodder for the cattle. disc floret receptacle
ray floret
Sugar: Sugar is obtained from the juice of Saccharum
officinarum(sugarcane). Fig. 42: Sunflower : Infloresence with ray and disc florets
Ornamental plants: Many grasses are used in lawns,
e.g. Agrostis (floringrass), Poa annua (meadow grass).
Alcohol and beverages: Ethyl alcohol and many other
beverages are prepared form cereals and sugarcane molasses.
Uses of Bamboo: Bambusa (bamboo) are used as
building material. These are used for huts, making boats,
carts pipes etc. Ray florets Disc florets
COMPOSITAE- Sunflower family Br % O K(2-3) pappus C(3-5) A0 G(2) Br ⊕ O K pappus C(5) A(5) G(2)
+ +
It is largest family of angiosperms, having largest geographical Fig. 43: Sunflower : Floral formula of ray and disc florets
distribution. It is also known as Asteraceae. The name of this Economic importance:
family is based on its inflorescence. i. e. Star-like 1. Food: Leaves of Lactuca sativa are used as salad. The
Vegetative characters: roots of Helianthus tuberosus are edible.
2. Oil: The seeds of Helianthus and Artemisia yield oil.
Stem: Erect, or prostrate, herbaceous or woody
3. Medicinal: Solidago used in dropsy. Artemisia yields
(Artemisia), hairy, sometimes with latex. Stem tubers are
santonin which is used as vermifuge. The roots of
also present (Helianthus).
Taraxacum used in bowel disorders. The juice of Emillia
Leaves: Alternate rarely opposite or whorled. Leaves sonchifolia leaves has cooling effect and is used in eye
may be radical, petiolate or sessile, exstipulate, mostly inflammation and also for night blindness.
simple sometimes scale-like (Senecio), unicostate or 4. Insecticide: The capitula of Chrysanthemum roseum
multicostate reticulate venation. and C. cinerariifolium are dried, powdered and used as
Floral characters: insecticide.
Inflorescence: inflorescence capitulum or head Family Solanaceae
surrounded by involucre of bracts; ray and disc florets, Large family
flower tubular or ligulate. Also known as Potato family
Flower: flowers are bi - or unisexual or outer male or It is widely distributed in tropics, subtropics and
female, pentamerous, actinomorphic or zygomorphic. even temperate zones.
Calyx: Sepals are modified into pappus or absent or scale Vegetative Characters
like, valvate aestivation is present. Plants are mostly herbs, shrubs and rarely small trees.
Stem: herbaceous shrubs and rarely woody, aerial;
Corolla: corolla gamopetalous, petal five.
erect, cylindrical, branched, solid or hollow, hairy
Androecium: stamens 5, epipetalous, usually dithecous, or glabrous, underground stem in potato (Solanum
filament free and anthers united i.e. syngenesious. tuberosum)
Gynoecium: bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovary unilocular, Leaves: alternate, simple, rarely pinnately compound,
inferior (epigynous), with basal placentation. exstipulate; venation reticulate.
Floral Characters
Fruit: cypsela.
Inflorescence: Solitary, axillary or Cymose as in
Floral Formula:
Solanum
Floral formula of disc florets: Flower: Bisexual, Actinomorphic
Br ⊕ O K pappus C(5) A(5) G(2) Calyx: Sepals five, united, persistent, valvate
+
aestivation
Floral formula of ray florets:
Corolla: Petals five, united; valvate aestivation
Br % O K(2-3) pappus C(3-5) A0 G(2)
+ Androecium: Stamens five, epipetalous
P
W Morphology of Flowering Plants 3
