Plant Family Classification: A Comprehensive Guide
Plant Family Classification
Cruciferae (Brassicaceae)
Characteristics:
- Leaves: Alternate, simple, pubescent, without stipules.
- Inflorescences: Racemose.
- Flowers: Bisexual, actinomorphic, with 4 sepals, 4 petals, 6 tetradynamous stamens, and a superior ovary.
- Fruit: Silique (long) or silicula (short).
Distribution:
Temperate zones of the Mediterranean region.
Genera:
Brassica, Alyssum, Raphanus, Barbarea, Arabis, Cardamine, Draba, Sisymbrium, Capsella, Lepidium, Cakile, Iberis
Economic Importance:
Food, ornamental, and weeds.
Leguminosae (Fabaceae)
Characteristics:
- Leaves: Simple or bipinnate, with or without stipules.
- Flowers: Actinomorphic or zygomorphic, with free or partially united petals, numerous or few stamens, and a superior monocarpelar gynoecium.
- Fruit: Legume.
Distribution:
Cosmopolitan.
Genera (Subfamilies):
- Mimosoideae: Mimosa, Prosopis, Acacia
- Caesalpinoideae: Ceratonia, Cercis, Cassia
- Papilionoideae: Sophora
Economic Importance:
Timber, ornamental, drugs, and food.
Umbelliferae (Apiaceae)
Characteristics:
- Leaves: Alternate, often divided, sheathing at the base.
- Inflorescences: Simple or compound umbels.
- Flowers: Bisexual, actinomorphic, with 5 sepals, 5 petals, 5 stamens, and a bicarpelar inferior gynoecium.
- Fruit: Schizocarp with a small embryo and oily endosperm.
Distribution:
Northern temperate zone, cosmopolitan, and high altitudes in the tropics.
Genera (Subfamilies):
- Hydrocotyloideae: Hydrocotyle, Centella
- Saniculoideae: Sanicula, Astrantia
- Apioideae: Eryngium
Economic Importance:
Food flavorings, ornamentals; some are poisonous.
Labiatae (Lamiaceae)
Characteristics:
- Leaves: Opposite or whorled, simple, without stipules.
- Inflorescences: Axial or whorled.
- Flowers: Bisexual, zygomorphic, with a united calyx of 4 sepals, a united corolla of 5 petals, 2 or 4 stamens, and a bicarpelar syncarpous gynoecium.
- Fruit: Group of 4 nutlets, each with a seed.
Distribution:
Cosmopolitan, with a focus on the Mediterranean.
Genera:
Lamium, Ajuga, Mentha, Rosmarinus, Coleus, Ocimum, Lavandula
Economic Importance:
Condiments, food flavorings, and ornamentals.
Compositae (Asteraceae)
Characteristics:
- Leaves: Alternate or opposite, simple, without stipules.
- Inflorescences: Chapters with flowers on a receptacle.
- Flowers: Bisexual or unisexual, actinomorphic or zygomorphic, with a pappus forming a calyx, a united corolla of 5 petals, 5 stamens, and a bicarpelar syncarpous inferior gynoecium.
- Fruit: Cypsela.
Distribution:
Cosmopolitan.
Genera (Subfamilies):
- Lactucoideae (Cichorioideae): Sonchus, Cirsium
- Asteroideae: Calendula, Helianthus, Senecio
Economic Importance:
Ornamentals and weeds.
Gramineae (Poaceae)
Characteristics:
- Leaves: In 2 rows, alternating, parallel veins, with a sheathing base and ligule.
- Inflorescences: Spikes, racemes, or panicles.
- Flowers: Bisexual or unisexual, with 2 bracts (lemma and palea), 3 stamens, and a gynoecium with 2 or 3 carpels.
- Fruit: Caryopsis with starchy endosperm.
Distribution:
All regions of the world.
Genera (Subfamilies):
- Bambusoideae
- Arundinoideae
- Chloridoideae
- Panicoideae
- Pooideae (Festucoideae)
Economic Importance:
Food, industry, construction, lawns, and ornamentals.
Rosaceae
Characteristics:
- Leaves: Alternate, simple or compound, with stipules.
- Inflorescences: Solitary flowers or racemose and cymose groups.
- Flowers: Bisexual, actinomorphic, with 5 sepals, 5 petals, numerous stamens, and 1 to many separate carpels or 5 to 10 carpels together.
- Fruit: Achene, follicle, pome, or drupe. Seeds without endosperm.
Distribution:
Cosmopolitan, more common in the northern temperate zone.
Genera:
Prunus, Pyrus, Rubus, Fragaria, Malus
Economic Importance:
Fruit and ornamentals.
Fagaceae
Characteristics:
- Leaves: Alternate, simple, pinnate.
- Inflorescences: Monoecious plants with solitary male flowers in catkins or capitate and solitary female flowers.
- Flowers: Unisexual, without petals. Male flowers with 4 to 7 calyx lobes and 4 to 40 stamens. Female flowers with 4 to 6 calyx lobes and a gynoecium with 3 to 6 carpels.
- Fruit: Achene with a solitary seed.
Distribution:
Cosmopolitan, except for Africa.
Genera:
Fagus, Castanea, Quercus
Economic Importance:
Wood, cork, ornamentals, and shade.
Liliaceae
Characteristics:
- Leaves: Alternate and simple.
- Inflorescences: Racemose, axillary, umbellate, or solitary.
- Flowers: Bisexual, actinomorphic, with 3 sepals, 3 petals, 3, 6, or 12 stamens, and a tricarpelar syncarpous superior or inferior gynoecium.
Distribution:
Global.
Genera:
Asparagus, Allium, Lilium
Economic Importance:
Ornamental horticulture.
Lauraceae
Characteristics:
- Leaves: Alternate, simple, pinnate.
- Inflorescences: Bisexual, actinomorphic.
- Flowers: With 6 sepals, no petals, 4 whorls of 3 stamens, and a monocarpelar superior gynoecium.
- Fruit: Drupe or berry with 1 seed.
Genera:
Cinnamomum, Persea, Laurus
Economic Importance:
Contain aromatic oils and barks.