Plants and People Major Families I. Eight Major Families Old NameNew NameCommon Name CompositaeAsteraceae Sunflower Family UmbelliferaeApiaceae Carrot.

Plants and People

Major Families I

Eight Major Families

Old Name New Name Common Name

Compositae Asteraceae Sunflower Family

Umbelliferae Apiaceae Carrot or Parsley Family

Cruciferae Brassicaceae Mustard or Cabbage Family

Labiatae Lamiaceae Mint Family

Liliaceae Lily or Onion Family

Rosaceae Rose Family

Solanaceae Nightshade Family

Cucurbitaceae Gourd Family

Asteraceae - Sunflower Family

Defining Features: The family is marked by a head inflorescence (also called a capitulum) which consists of multiple small flowers termed “florets” on a common receptacle. The calyx is modified into a pappus. The stamens, when present, are united by their anthers. The fruit is an achene. The inflorescence is subtended by bracts called phyllaries, which together make up the involucre.

There are two basic types of florets. Disc flowers are actinomorphic, while ray and ligulate flowers are zygomorphic.

disc ray ligulate

Asteraceae - Head TypesRadiate: disc florets in the center, ray florets along the edge.

ovary

Asteraceae - Head TypesDiscoid: only disc florets

style

stamens

pappus

ovary

This particular species has very long styles.

disc floret

5-fused petals

Asteraceae - Head TypesLigulate: only ligulate florets comprise the entire head.

Asteraceae - Sunflower FamilyEdible Genera:

Artemisia

tarragon, used as a spice in food, particularly chicken or fish

Cichorium

chicory, roots are roasted and used as a coffee substitute.

endive & radicchio, leaves which are edible as salad.

Lactuca

lettuce, all varieties

Cynara

artichoke

Helianthus

sunflower oil, “seeds”

Jerusalem artichoke

Asteraceae - Sunflower Family

Other Notable Genera:

Tanacetum coccineum

pyrethrum or “painted daisy” is a natural insecticide

Eupatorium rugosum

white snakeroot

Helenium poisonous pasture plants!

sneezeweed

Senecio

ragwort

Apiaceae - Carrot FamilyDistinguishing Features: Members of this family form flowers in a dense, flat-topped cluster called an umbel. The number of sepals, petals and stamens of an individual flower are each five. The inferior ovary is made up of 2 carpels, with an ovule in each. After fertilization, the ovary develops into a schizocarp fruit.

Also characteristic of plants in this family are the usually stem-sheathing petioles and the presence of aromatic oils in the leaves and fruit.

schizocarpcompound umbels

Apiaceae - Carrot Family

Edible Genera:

Anethum graveolens

dill

Apium graveolens

celery (petiole, root)

Carum carvi

caraway, herb and spice with edible leaves a roots. Can be used medicinally as an antispasmodic

Coriandrum sativum

cilantro

coriander

Cuminum cyminum

cumin

Apiaceae - Carrot Family

Edible Genera:

Daucus carota

carrot, cultivar of the wild variety, grows a tap root during its first growing season and then produces flowers and seeds during the next

Foeniculum vulgare

fennel, with edible petioles

Pastinaca sativa

parsnip

Petroselinum crispum

parsley

Pimpinella anisum

anise

Apiaceae - Carrot Family

Other Notable Genera:

Cicuta maculata

water hemlock, the deadliest plant in North America affecting the central nervous system and causes paralysis of the lungs. A tiny piece is enough to kill a human, containing large amounts of cicutoxin

Conium maculatum

hemlock, also extremely deadly and is said to be the plant that killed Socrates

Heracleum mantegazzianum

giant hogweed, causes painful blisters on contact with human skin

Brassicaceae - Mustard FamilyDistinguishing Features: Leaves are alternate and simple. Flowers usually present in a raceme inflorescence, with individual flowers having 4 sepals, 4 diagonally opposed petals, and 6 stamens that are tetradynamous--4 long stamens and 2 outer short stamens. The ovary has two locules divided by a replum or false partition. The ovary produces specialized fruit, either the narrow silique or a short silicle in which the seeds are separated into two chambers by the replum.

various silicles

silique

raceme

Brassicaceae - Mustard FamilyEdible Genera:

Brassica

kohlrabi

mustard

canola oil (rape seed oil)

cabbage, head of leaves

kale, without a head

cauliflower, flower buds

brussels sprouts, axillary buds

broccoli, flower buds

rutabaga

turnip

chinese cabbage

bok choy

Brassicaceae - Mustard FamilyEdible Genera:

Armoracia rusticana

horseradish, root used to flavor foods

Eruca stiva

arugula

Nasturtium officinale

watercress

Raphanus sativus

radish

daikon

Brassicaceae - Mustard Family

Other Notable Genera:

Isatis tinctoria

dyer’s woad, used for its deep blue color

Alliaria petiolata

garlic mustard is the scourge of the forest replacing many native wildflowers by shading them out of existence. One plant can produce several thousand seeds that are viable for seven years or more.

Cucurbitaceae - Gourd FamilyDistinguishing Features: Leaves are usually palmately veined and/or lobed. Plants in this family have separate male and female (imperfect) flowers, making them monoecious. The female flower’s pistil has an inferior ovary usually consisting of 3 carpels with a single locule with parietal placentation. The fruit is a pepo, which is a berry with a hard rind. A nectary disk is present in both sexes.

female

male

Cucurbitaceae - Gourd Family

Edible Genera:

Citrullus lanatus

watermelon

Cucumis

cantaloupe

honey-dew

cucumber

Cucurbita

pumpkin

squashes

Gourd? Squash? Pumpkin?Gourd—container, ornament; usually not eaten

Lagenaria, Cucurbita, etc.

Squash—eaten immature or mature as a side dishsummer—immature; usually Cucurbita pepowinter—mature; C. pepo, C. mixta, C. maxima, C. moschata

Pumpkin—eaten as dessert; cattle food; decoration C. pepo, C. mixta, C. maxima, C. moschata

Cucurbitaceae - Gourd Family

Other Notable Genera:

Trichosanthes kirilowii

tree-of-joy, is an important anti-cancer plant containing the drug trichosanthin, a ribosome inactivating protein, which has recently shown promise as an HIV-1 inhibitor.

Lamiaceae - Mint Family

Distinguishing Characteristics: Mint plants have square stems and opposite leaves. Flowers have 5 fused petals that diverge into 2 lips, termed bilabiate. The single pistil has a superior, 4-lobed ovary, and a style that arises from the base and goes up between the lobes—a gynobasic style. The fruits produced are 4 nutlets.

4-lobed ovary

nutlets

Lamiaceae - Mint FamilyEdible Genera:

Ocimum

marjoram

basil

Origanum

oregano

Mentha

mint

Rosmarinus officinalis

rosemary

Salvia officinalis

sage

Thymus

thyme

Liliaceae - Lily or Onion Family

Distinguishing Features: Flowers have 3 sepals and 3 petals that look alike= tepals, 6 stamens, and a single pistil with a superior ovary composed of 3 fused carpels. Fruit types are septicidal (splitting at the line of the septa) or loculicidal capsules (dehisces longitudinally through the locules) or berries.

loculicidal capsules3 sepals, 3 petals

Liliaceae - Lily or Onion Family

Edible Genera:

Allium

onion green, red, white, yellow, pearl

cippolini onion

shallot

garlic

chives

leek

Asparagus officinalis

asparagus

Liliaceae - Lily or Onion FamilyOther Notable Genera:

Convallaria majalis

lily-of-the-valley, All parts, including the berries, of the Lily of the Valley are highly poisonous. About 38 different cardiac glycosides (cardenolides) have been isolated from this plant.

Veratrum

false hellebore, contains highly toxic steroidal alkaloids that can cause rapid cardiac failure and death if ingested. All parts are poisonous, with the root and rhizomes being the most poisonous parts. Birth defects in livestock grazing on Veratrum californicum (native to the western United States) led to the study of cyclopamine and jervine which are important in animal developmental biology, including cancer treatment.

Zigadenus nuttallii

death camas, poison camas, merryhearts, contains a toxic alkaloid that may be twice as potent as strychnine

Rosaceae - Rose FamilyDistinguishing Features: Flower parts are in 5’s and the flower has a cup-like receptacle or floral tube called a hypanthium. The flower is usually bisexual and has stamens in whorls of five. Fruit types are achene, drupe, follicle, pome, aggregates, follicles, and accessory fruits.

Subfamilies of the RosaceaeRosoideae—Apocarpous—many separate, simple pistils on a common receptacle. Fruit an aggregate or accessory. Strawberry, blackberry, raspberry, rose

Maloideae—Fused pistils, inferior ovary, swollen hypanthium. Fruit a pome. Apple, pear, quince

Prunoideae—One single simple pistil. Fruit a drupe—Peach, plum, nectarine, cherry, almond

Rosaceae - Rose FamilyEdible Genera: Rosoideae:

Fragaria

strawberry, an aggregate of achenes

Rubus, aggregate of drupelets

blackberry

dewberry

raspberry

Edible Genera: Maloideae, pome

Pyrus

pear

Malus

apple

Cydonia

quince

Rosaceae - Rose FamilyEdible Genera, Prunoideae, fruit a drupe

Prunus

sweet cherry, marischino, bing, or black

sour cherry

peach

nectarine

plum

apricot

almond, we don’t eat the actual fleshy fruit, but rather the seed or ovule

Solanaceae - Nightshade FamilyDistinguishing Characteristics: The flowers are usually radially symmetrical with 5 united sepals and 5 petals united at base. Stamens are usually 5, sometimes fewer. All these parts are attached at the base of the ovary. The leaves are alternate, simple or lobed. The fruit is a berry or 2-chambered capsule.

capsule berry

Solanaceae - Nightshade FamilyEdible Genera:

Capsicum

bell peper

chilies, all kinds

paprika

Physalis

tomatillo

strawberry tomato

Solanum

tomato, roma, cherry, heirloom

eggplant

potato

Solanaceae - Nightshade FamilyOther Notable Genera:

Atropa belladonna

deadly nightshade, belladonna, atropine, is one of the most toxic plants found in the Western hemisphere. All parts of the plant contain tropane alkaloids. The berries pose the greatest danger to children because they look attractive and have a somewhat sweet taste. The root of the plant is generally the most toxic part, though ingestion of a single leaf of the plant can be fatal to an adult. Atropa belladonna is also toxic to many domestic animals, causing narcosis and paralysis. However, cattle and rabbits seem to eat the plant without suffering harmful effects. Its properties will cause in

humans the disruption of cognitive capacities like memory and learning.

Solanaceae - Nightshade FamilyOther Notable Genera:

Datura stramonium

jimson weed, is a narcotic and contains scopolamine and atropine. Very dangerous plant and many people have died from misusing it as a hallucinogen. Can be used topically as a numbing agent for aching joints.

Nicotiana

tobacco

nicotine

Today’s Lab

The goal of this laboratory is to familiarize you with eight families of flowering plants that are important sources of food: Asteraceae, Apiaceae, Brassicaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Lamiaceae, Liliaceae, Rosaceae, and Solanaceae

We'll take time to survey many of the important food crops and products from members of these families, examine vegetative and floral morphology, and survey various products.

Today’s LabBy the end of today's lab activity you should be able to:

• Recognize and identify the vegetative, floral, and fruit characteristics of each family, as presented through lecture, discussion, and examination of plant samples.

• Recognize which of the eight families are monocots and which are dicots

• Recognize by name (common, scientific, and family name) the highly important food crops on display. Place spices and seasonings by common name in the correct family.

Many of these you have "met" in the vegetable or fruit labs or both, so you should already have them in one of the charts. Be sure to write down the information for anything new (like tobacco) and note characteristics of the different varieties of each crop you see.

Since past laboratories have focused on food crops in general, some of this lab will serve as a review and synthesis of information previously presented.

Asteraceae

Apiaceae

Brassicaceae

Lamiaceae

Liliaceae

Rosaceae

Solanaceae