Floral Formula of Solanaceae Family

The Solanaceae family, commonly referred to as the "potato family," is a diverse group of angiosperms found across tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions globally. This family encompasses a variety of plants, including important crops, medicinal plants, and spices. Well-known vegetables such as potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, and eggplants belong to the Solanaceae family.

Floral Formula

The general floral formula for the Solanaceae family (which includes plants like tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, and peppers) is as follows-

• K(5)- 5 sepals, fused (calyx)

• C(5)- 5 petals, fused (corolla)

• A(5)- 5 stamens, fused (androdium)

• G(2)- 2 carpels, fused (gynoecium)

• ⚥- Bisexual

• ⊕- Actinomorphic (radial symmetry)

This formula represents a typical flower structure in the Solanaceae family, with five sepals and petals, five fused stamens, and a gynoecium with two fused carpels. The numbers indicate the parts of the flower, and the parentheses around the numbers denote that the parts are fused or united.

Systematic Position of Solanaceae Family

• Kingdom- Plantae

• Subkingdom- Tracheobionta

• Super Division- Spermatophyta

• Division- Magnoliophyta

• Class- Magnoliopsida

• Subclass- Asteridae

• Order- Solanales

• Family- Solanaceae

Key Features of the Solanaceae Family

The Solanaceae family is a large and diverse group of flowering plants with about 102 genera and around 2500 species. Some common plants in this family include-

Family Description

• Habit- Includes herbs, shrubs, and some small trees.

• Root- Usually a tap root system with branching.

• Stem- Aerial, branched, erect, and mostly herbaceous. Some, like potato, have underground stems.

• Leaf- Simple, alternate, and sometimes pinnately compound. Venation is reticulate. Some leaves are exstipulate, sessile, or modified into spines.

• Inflorescence- Flowers can be solitary or grouped, with axillary or cymose arrangements.

• Flower Characteristics-

• Bracteate or Ebracteate- The flowers may or may not have bracts.

• Symmetry- Actinomorphic (radial symmetry) and generally hermaphroditic.

• Structure- Pentamerous and hypogynous (ovary positioned below the other flower parts).

• Calyx- Typically 5 sepals, which are gamosepalous (united), persistent, with valvate aestivation (sepals do not overlap).

• Corolla- Composed of 5 fused petals (gamopetalous), with either valvate or imbricate aestivation.

• Androecium- Five polyandrous (free) stamens, epipetalous (attached to petals).

• Gynoecium- Bicarpellary, syncarpous (fused carpels), with a superior ovary and axile placentation. It has one style and either a simple or bilobate stigma.

• Fruit- Can be a berry (e.g., tomatoes) or a capsule (as seen in Datura).

• Seeds- Numerous, with a round, flat shape and endospermic (containing stored food). Chromosome count is typically 2n = 24, but polyploidy can occur.

• Pollination- Predominantly entomophilous (insect-pollinated).

Economic Significance of Solanaceae

The Solanaceae family holds considerable economic importance due to its diverse uses-

• Edible Crops- Many species serve as vegetables, such as potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, and bell peppers.

• Medicinal Value- Plants like Atropa belladonna, Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha), and Datura are known for their medicinal properties, including alkaloids like tropanes, nicotine, capsaicin, and hyoscyamine. However, some of these alkaloids can also be toxic.

• Commercial Use- Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is a significant commercial crop.

• Ornamentals- Petunias and other ornamental plants in the family add aesthetic value to gardens and landscapes.

In summary, flowers of the Solanaceae family are complete, bisexual, actinomorphic, and hypogynous. They typically feature five sepals (united), five petals (fused), five stamens (free and attached to petals), and a bicarpellary, syncarpous gynoecium with a superior ovary. The fruit can be a berry or capsule, and the plants are often insect-pollinated.

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