SOLANACEAE Potato Family

Introduction to SOLANACEAE - the potato family

Systematic position

Class: Dicotyledonae, Sub-class: Gamopetalae, Series: Bicarpellatae, Order: Polemoniales, Family: Solanaceae

General characters

Distribution

Solanaceae involves about 90 genera and in excess of 2,800 species. The plants are extensively distributed in tropical and subtropical regions. 

Habit

Mainly annual herbs   (Example Solanum melongena), a few shrubs example Solanum torvum (Sundaikaai) and rarely trees (S. giganteum).

Root

A branched tap root system.

Stem

a. Aerial,

b. erect,

c. spinous example Solanum xanthocarpum (Kandangkathiri),

d. herbaceous, 

e. woody, 

f. cylindrical, 

g. branched, 

h. hairy (example Petunia  hybrida and Nicotiana alata).   In S. tuberosum, the stem is chnaged into tuber.

Leaf

Petiolate, generally alternate, occasionally opposite, simple, entire (example Petunia hybrida), exstipulate and displaying unicostate reticulate venation. In S. xanthocarpum, the midrib and veins are found with yellowish spines.

Inflorescence

Solitary, axillary cyme (example Datura  stramonium) or extra axillary scorpioid cyme termed as rhipidium (fan shaped cyme) like in S. nigrum or helicoid cyme like in S. tuberosum or umbellate cyme like in Withania somnifera.

Flower

Bracteate (example Petunia hybrida) or ebracteate example S. nigrum (Manathakkaali), ebracteolate, pedicellate, dichlamydeous, pentamerous, complete, actinomorphic (example Datura stramonium) or Zygomorphic (example Schizanthus pinnatus), bisexual and  hypogynous.

Calyx

Sepals 5, green, gamosepalous, tubular and showing valvate aestivation eg. Datura metal (Oomathai) or imbricate aestivation (example Petunia hybrida), bell shaped and persistent (S. melongena).

Corolla

Petals 5, gamopetalous, funnel shaped, rotate, tubular, generally plicate (folded such as a fan blade) displaying twisted or valvate or imbricate aestivation.

Androecium

Stamens 5, epipetalous, exchange with the petals, generally not equal in length and filaments are inserted in the middle or basal region of corolla tube and basifixed.  Anthers dithecous, introrse, generally basifixed or dorsifixed, dehiscing longitudinally or by   apical pores (example S. nigrum). In Schizanthus pinnatus, two stamens are fertile and three stamens are decreased to staminodes.

Gynoecium

a. Ovary superior, bicarpellary and syncarpous.

b. Ovary bilocular, carpels obliquely placed and ovules on axile placentation. 

c. In Datura species, bilocule becomes tetralocular by the creation of false septa.

d. Style simple and not divided.

e. Stigma bifid or capitate.

Fruit

A berry / septicidal capsule.  In Lycopersicon esculentum, the fruit is a berry and in species of Datura and Petunia, the fruit is a capsule.

Seed

Endospermous.

Botanical description of Datura  metal

Habit

a. Large,

b. Erect and

c. Stout herb.

Root

Branched tap root system.

Stem

The stem is

a. hollow,

b. green and

c. herbaceous with strong odour.

Leaf

a. Leaf is

b. Simple,

c. alternate,

d. petiolate,

e. entire or deeply lobed,

f. glabrous displaying unicostate reticulate venation and exstipulate.

Inflorescence

a. Solitary and

b. axillary cyme.

Flower

Flowers are

a. large,

b. greenish white,

c. bracteate,

d. ebracteolate,

e. pedicellate,

f. complete,

g. dichlamydeous,

h. pentamerous,

i. regular,

j. actinomorphic,

k. bisexual and

l. hypogynous.

Calyx

Calyx is

a. Sepals 5,

b. green,

c. gamosepalous displaying valvate aestivation.

Calyx is mainly persistent and odd sepal is posterior in position.

Corolla

628_SOLANACEAE Potato Family Homework Help.jpg

Corolla is

a. Petals 5,

b. greenish white,

c. gamopetalous,

d. plicate (folded like a fan) showing twisted aestivation,

e. funnel shaped with wide mouth and 10 lobed.

Androecium

Stamens 5, free from one other epipetalous, exchange the petals and are inserted in the middle of the corolla tube. Anthers are basifixed, dithecous along with long filament, introrse and longitudinally dehiscent.

Gynoecium

Gynoecium is

a. Ovary superior,

b. bicarpellary and

c. syncarpous.

Ovary mainly bilocular but tetralocular because of the creation of false septa. Carpels are obliquely positioned and ovules on swollen axile placenta.

Style is

a. simple,

b. long and

c. filiform.

Stigma two lobed.

 

Diagram: Datura metal

Fruit

Spinescent capsule opening through four apical valves with persistent calyx.

Seed

Endospermous.

Floral Formula

746_SOLANACEAE Potato Family Homework Help 1.jpg

Latest technology based Biology Online Tutoring Assistance

Tutors, at the www.tutorsglobe.com, take pledge to provide full satisfaction and assurance in SOLANACEAE Potato Family homework help via online tutoring. Students are getting 100% satisfaction by online tutors across the globe. Here you can get homework help for SOLANACEAE Potato Family, project ideas and tutorials. We provide email based SOLANACEAE Potato Family homework help. You can join us to ask queries 24x7 with live, experienced and qualified online tutors specialized in SOLANACEAE Potato Family. Through Online Tutoring, you would be able to complete your homework or assignments at your home. Tutors at the TutorsGlobe are committed to provide the best quality online tutoring assistance for Biology homework help and assignment help services. They use their experience, as they have solved thousands of the Biology assignments, which may help you to solve your complex issues of SOLANACEAE Potato Family. TutorsGlobe assure for the best quality compliance to your homework. Compromise with quality is not in our dictionary. If we feel that we are not able to provide the homework help as per the deadline or given instruction by the student, we refund the money of the student without any delay.

©TutorsGlobe All rights reserved 2022-2023.