I am aware that many photographs of this family have been posted by the members. I have added only few of the readily available pictures at prsent. All are welcome to post more pictures. Dr Phadke
2009/1/30 satish phadke <[email protected]> > FAMILY OF THE WEEK: SOLANACEAE (NIGHTSHADE FAMILY) > A large family with over 2000 species worldwide. In India there are 15 > genera and 88 species. Many species are cultivated while others occur > chiefly in Himalayas and southern and eastern parts of India. > Vegetative characters: > They are mostly annual or perennial herbs, sometimes shrubs or small trees > and rarely climbers. The stems are prickly or spinous, the spines are > modified branches. The vascular bundles are bicollateral. Underground tubers > are found in Solanum tuberosum. The leaves are alternate,exstipulate, > simple,entire, lobed or pinnatified. In the inflorescence portion the leaves > often become subopposite or opposite. > Inflorescence and flowers: > Often cymes which are lateral, axillary or terminal. In some species of > Solanum > they are extraaxillary appearing to arise from the middle of an internode. > Very frequently they are solitary and axillary as in Datura and Nicardia and > rarely clustered as in Withania. The bracts and bracteoles are absent. > The flowers are actinomorphic or sometimes zygomorphic, bisexual, > pentamerous and hypogynous. The calyx is five lobed or five partite and > usually persistent and much enlarged in fruit. The corolla is gamopetalous > and funnell shaped(Datura) campanuloate(Physalis) or rotate(Solanum) The > limb is usually five lobed or rarely ten lobed as in Datura and the lobes > are folded contorted or valvate. The stamens are usually five,epipetalous on > the corolla tube and alternate with the lobes. They are commonly of unequal > heights. The anthers are ovate or oblong, sometimes connivant into a cone as > in Solanum, dithecous,introrse and dehiscing by longitudinal slits or by > apical pores.(Solanum) > Thhe gynoecium is typically bicarpellary and syncarpous. The ovary is > superior and bilocular with axile placentation.The style is linear and the > stigma is capitate or shortly lobed. > A hypogynous nectariferous disc is usually present at the base of the > ovary. > Fruits and seeds: > The fruit is a berry which is sometimes (Physalis)enclosed within an inflated > bladder-like calyx or capsule. The seeds are numerous, compressed, discoid > or subreniform, endospermic and with a curved or straight embryo. > Pollination and dispersal: > Conspicuous flowers and nectariferous disc favor insect pollination. > Solanum tuberosum is devoid of nectar and is scarcely visited by insects. > Here usually self pollination occurs by the style curving backwards to touch > the anthers. > The seeds are usually dispersed by birds and animals.Species of > Datura,Atropa and Hyoscyamus are dispersed by water. > Examples: > Solanum tuberosum (Potato, Batata) > Solanum melongena (Egg plant,Brinjal,Baingan,Wang) Lycopersicon esculentum > (Tomato) > Capsicum annuum (Chillies, Mirch) > Nicotiana tobacum (Tobacco) > Atropa belladonna(Belladonna) > Hyoscymus niger > Datura stramonium > Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) > Withania coagulans (Indian rennett) > Petunia > > > > -- > > http:// satishphadke.blogspot.com > -- http:// satishphadke.blogspot.com --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "indiantreepix" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
