Taxonomy

• Plant taxonomy: The branch of science that deals about

description, classification, identification & nomenclature of plants.

• Plant taxonomy describe, classify, identify & name the plants.

• Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778) is father of taxonomy.
Plant Taxonomy (8 marks long Question)

• Dicot Family

1. Criciferae (Mustard Family)

2. Solanaceae (Potato Family)
3. Fabaceae (Pulses Family)

• Monocot Family

1. Liliaceae (Onion Family)

1. Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae
1. Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae
1. Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae

Napiform Root : Turnip Fusiform Root : Radish

Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae
Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae
Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae

Figure: Entire plant of Brassica campestris (Mustard)

Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae
1. Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae
• Systematic position:
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Phanerogams
Class: Dicotyledons
Sub-class:Polypetalae
Order: Parietales
Family: Cruciferae
Genus: Brassica
Species: B. campesris

• It is commonly known as mustard family.

• This family includes 375 genera & 3250 species.
• Most of members of this family are cosmopolitan & cultivated as
vegetable, edible oil, medicine.
1. Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae

Flower of Mustard
Description of Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae
• Vegetative characters:

Habit: annual herb, sometimes biannual, perennial.

Habitat: cultivated & wild.

Root: tap root system, rarely adventitious (eg. Fusiform root in

radish, Napiform root in turnip).

Stem: Erect or prostrate, branched, herbaceous, pubescent

(hairy), rarely glabrous (powdery eg., cabbage), solid.

Leaf: Radical, cauline & ramal, exstipulate, lower leaf petiolate

but upper leaf sessile, alternate, simple, venation raticulate,
lower leaves Lyrate.
Family: Cruciferae/Brassicaceae

Figure: Flower of Mustard

Family: Cruciferae/Brassicaceae

Figure: Flower of Mustard

Description of Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae
• Floral (reproductive) characters:
Inflorescence: Raceme.
Flower: Ebracteate, pedicillate, complete, bisexual,
actinomorphic, tetramerous, hypogynous.
Calyx: Sepal 2+2, polysepalous, arranged in two whorl,
sepaloid, inferior.
Corolla: Petal 4, polypetalous, alternate with sepals, cruciform,
valvate aestivation, inferior.
Androecium: Stamen 2+4, polyandrous, tetradynamous,
outer 2 shorter & inner 4 longer, presence of nectar at base,
dithecous, basifixed or dorsifixed, introse, inferior.
Gynoecium: Bicarpellary syncarpous, ovary- superior,
unilocular but becomes bilocular due to development of
septum, placentation- parietal, style- short, stigma- bilobed.
Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae

Figure: Flower of Mustard

 Family: Cruciferae/Brassicaceae
Fruit: Siliqua
Seed: Non-endospermic.

Floral formula: Ebr. … …….

Floral Diagram:

Q. Describe the Cruciferae (Brassicaceae) family in technical terms. Also,

highlight its economic importances with examples of this family.
 Economic importance's of Cruciferae
Food, vegetable source

Brassica oleracea var. capitata (Cabbage) Brassica oleracea var. botritis (cauliflower)
 Economic importance's of Brassicaceae
• Food, vegetable source

Brassica Juncia (Rayo Sag)

Economic importance's of Brassicaceae
• Food, vegetable, oil, condiment source- Mustard

Brassica campestris (Mustard) harvesting for oil.

 Family: Cruciferae / Brassicaceae
 Economic importance of Brassicaceae:
1. As food / vegetable: Roots, leaves, flowers are used as good
source of dietary supplement. eg. Brassica campestris
(Mustard), Raphanus sativus (Radish), Brassica oleracea
var. botritis (Cauliflower), Brassica oleracea var. capitata
(Cabbage), Brassica rapa (Turnip), Brassica juncia (Rayo).

2. As oil: seeds of Brassica campestris, Brassica nigra (Kalo

tori) are used for oil.
3. As medicine: Capsella bursa-pastoris (Jungali rayo)

4. As condiments: Brassica alba (Sarseu / Seto rai)

5. As vegetable: Lepidium sativum (Chamsur)
6. Spices: Seeds of Brassica juncia, B. nigra are used as pickle.
 Family: Cruciferae/Brassicaceae
• Food, vegetable source

Brassica rapa (Turnip) – Napiform Root & Raphanus sativum (Radish) - Fusiform Root
Diagnostic characteristics of Family: Cruciferae/Brassicaceae

• This family is commonly known as Mustard family.

• This family is cosmopolitan in distribution & economically
importance (food, medicine, oil, vegetable etc.).

• Inflorescence- Raceme
• Flower- Bisexual, complete, Hypogynous.
• Sepal & Petal = 4 / 4
• Androecium = Tetradynamous
• Gyanocium = Bicarpellary syncarpous, Ovary – superior.

• Fruit = Siliqua
• Pollination = Entomophilous (Pollination by Insect).
 Family: Cruciferae/Brassicaceae

Q. Describe the Cruciferae / Brassicaceae family in semi-technical

terms. Also, highlight the economic importances with example.
(6 + 2 = 8)
2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
 2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
• Systematic position:
Kingdome: Plantae
Division: Phanerogams
Class: Dicotyledonae
Sub-class: Gamopetalae
Series: Bicarpilate
Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Solanum
Species: S. tuberosum
(Potato)

 It is commonly known as potato family. It includes about 90

genera & 2000 species. It is cosmopolitan family.
2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
 2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
• Habit: Annual or perennial herb, rarely shrub.
• Habitat: Cultivated, wild.

• Root: tap root system, branched.

• Stem: Erect, prostrate, branched, herbaceous or woody, solid,
pubescent, modified tuber in Solanum tuberosum (Potato).

• Leaf: Cauline & ramal, exstipulate, petiolate or sessile,

alternate, rarely whorled, simple or rarely compound,
pubescent, reticulate venation.

• Inflorescence: Cymose or Solitary.

2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
 2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
• Flower: Ebracteate, pedicillate, complete, bisexual, actinomorphic,
rarely zygomorphic, pentamerous, hypogynous.
• Calyx: Sepals-5, gamosepalous, usually campanulate, aestivation-
valvate, persistant, pubescent, inferior.
• Corolla: Petals-5, gamopetalous, campanulate, valvate / twisted,
alternate with sepal, various coloured, inferior.

• Androecium: Stamen-5, polyandrous, epipetalous, alternipetalous,

inferior, Anther- dithecous, basifixed or dorsifixed, introse,
filament- short, presence of nectar at base.

• Gynoecium: Bicarpillary syncarpous, obliquely placed swollen

ovary, ovary- superior, ovules many, placentation- axile, stigma-
bilobed, style- long.
2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
 2. Solanaceae (Potato family)

• Axile placentation in Lycopercicum esculantum (Tomato)

 2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
• Fruit: Berry, rarely Capsule (eg. Datura).
• Seed: Endospermic with two cotyledons.
• Floral formula: Ebr.
• Floral diagram:
2. Solanaceae (Potato family)
 Diagnostic characteristics of Solanaceae family
Following are the major diagnostic characteristics of Solanaceae;

 Pubescent plant body.

 Presence of opposite leaves.
 Inflorescence- Cymose.
 Flower- Pentamerous, hypogynous.
 Presence of persistent calyx.
 Corolla fused (Gamopetalous).
 Epipetalous stamens.
 With obliquely placed swollen placenta .
 Fruit- Berry or Capsule.
!!!
  Economic importances of Solanaceae family
• As vegetable: The underground modified stem of Solanum
tuberosum (Potato), Lycopersicum esculentum (Tomato),
Solanum melongena (Brinjal), Capsicum annum (Chilly),
Capsicum frutescens (Shimla pepper) are used as vegetable.
• As medicine: The boiled roots of Atropa are used as pain
killer.
• Ripe fruits of Solanum nigrum (Black night shade / Kali
gedi) are used in digestive disorder.
• Leaves of Nicotiana tobacum (Tobacco) are used as paste to
kill the parasites.
• As ornamental plants: Some of plants of this family are used
as ornamental plants in the garden. Eg. Cestrum nocturnum
(Night jasmine).
• Religious value: Datura metal (Dhaturo) is used as religious
value in Nepal (Shivaratri festival).
 3. Family: Leguminosae / Fabaceae
• Classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Phanerogams
Class: Dicotyledons
Sub-class: Polypetalae
Order: Rosales
Family: Leguminosae
Sub-family: Papilionaceae
Genus: Pisum
Species: P. sativum
Common name: Pea plant

Pisum sativum (Pea plant)

 Family: Leguminosae / Fabaceae
• It is commonly called Legume family.
• This family consists of more than 690 genera & 18000 species.
• It is 2nd largest family of dicots.
• Leguminosae family is divided in to 3 sub-families;
(1) Papilionaceae (2) Caesalpiniaceae (3) Mimosaceae

 Sub-family: Papilionaceae (Pea – family)

 It is largest sub-family, consists of 425 genus & 7000 species.

 It is cosmopolitan in distribution (tropical & sub-tropical).
• Habitat: Cultivated or wild.
• Habit: Annual, biannual, perennial herb, shrub, trees, climber.
 Sub-family: Papilionaceae (Leguminoceae)
• Root: Tap root system (root nodules with N2 fixing bacteria).
• Stem: branched, prostrate or erect, climber, herbaceous or
woody, pubescent or glabrous, green.
• Leaf: Cauline & Ramal, leaf base with stipule, petiolate,
alternate rarely opposite or whorled, compound, margin-
entire, venation- reticulate, leaflets modified in to tendrils.
 Sub-family: Papilionaceae (Leguminoceae)
Floral / Reproductive Characters:
 Inflorescence: Racemose, rarely solitary.
 Flower: Bracteate, pedicilate, complete, bisexual,
zygomorphic, pentamerous, hypogynous.
 Calyx: Sepals (5), gamosepalous, campanulate, persistant,
aestivation- valvate or imbricate, inferior.
 Corolla: Petals 1+2+(2), papilionaceous, 5 unequal petals,
aestivation- vexillary, inferior.

 Androecium: Stamen-10, diadelphous condition (1 stamen

free and remaining 9 stamens fused), anther- dithecous,
basifixed, introse, inferior.
 Gynoecium: Capel-1 (monocarpellary), ovary- superior,
unilocular, placentation- marginal, style- short & curved,
stigma- simple.
 Sub-family: Papilionaceae (Leguminoceae)
• Fruit: Legume or Pod.
• Seed: Non-endospermic
• Floral formula:
• Floral diagram:
 Economic importance of Papilionaceae
• Used as food: members of this sub-family are used as Pulses
& vegetables. Example: Pisum sativum (Pea), Cajanus cajan
(Arhar), Vigna mungo (Mas), Lens esculenta (Masuro).
• As medicine: Root, leaves, flower, seeds are used as medicine
(cough, asthama, fever, headache, joint pain).
• Timber: valuable timber (wood) obtained from Dalbergia
sissoo (Sissoo), Dalbergia latifolia (Satisal).

• As spices / vegetable: Seeds of Trigonella foenum (Methi)

are used as spices or vegetable.
• As green manure: Leguminous plants Sesbania aculeata
(Dhaicha) are used as green compost in agriculture.
• As source of Oil: Edible oil extracted from Glycine max
(Soyabean / Bhatmas).
  Diagnostic characters of Papilionaceae
Following are major diagnostic characters of Papilionaceae;
• It is pulses family with great economic importance.
• Roots have nitrogen fixing bacteria (nodules).
• Flower- zygomorphic.
• Corolla- Vexillary aestivation.
• Anther- Diadelphous.
• Carper-1 & superior.
• Placentation- marginal.
• Fruit- Pod or Legume.
……………………………………………………………………
H.W. Differentiate between sub-families of Leguminosae:
Papilionaceae, Caesalpinoidae & Mimosoidae .................... (5)

Q} Describe the family Papilionaceae (Leguminosae/Fabaceae)

in semi-technical terms with economic importance…….. (8)
 4. Family: Liliaceae (Onion family)
• Systematic Position / Classification:
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Phanerogams
Class: Monocotyledonae
Order: Liliales
Family: Liliaceae
Genus: Allium
Species: A. cepa (Onion)

 This family is commonly known as Onion Family / Lily Family.

 The members of this family are distributed Tropical – Temperate
region throughout world wide (cosmopolitan).
Description of Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Allium cepa (Onion)

Description of Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Zyphyranthes candida
Description of Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Onion (Allium cepa)

 Description of Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)

• The members of this family includes 15 genera & 600 species.

• Habit & Habitat: Mostly perennial herbs, cultivated & wild.

• Vegetative Characters:
• Root: Fibrous root
• Stem: Bulb

• Leaves: Radical or Cauline, sessile or petiolate, exstipulate,

sheathing leaf base, simple leaf, alternate or opposite, shape- linear,
venation- parallel.
• Floral / Reproductive Characters:
• Inflorescence: Raceme, Solitary, Umbel
Description of Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Inflorescence of Allium cepa (Onion)

Description of Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Figure: Flower of Jimbu

 Description of Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)
• Flower: Bracteate, Pedicillate, actinomorphic (rarely Zygomorphic),
bisexual, complete, trimerous, hypogynous, various coloured.
• Perianth: Tepal 3+3, arranged in two-row, aestivation valvate / imbricate,
nectar present at the base of tepals, inferior.
• Androecium: Stamen 3+3, epitepalous (filaments attached with tepal),
basifixed, anther- introse, inferior.

• Gyanocium: Carpel- 3, syncarpous,

stigma- lobed, ovary – superior,
ovules- many, placentation- axile.

• Fruit: Capsule.
• Seed: Endospermic.
• Pollination: Entomophylous.
• Floral Formula: Br. ------------------
• Floral diagram: ……
Description of Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Floral diagram of Allium cepa (Onion)

 • Some Diagnostic characteristics of Liliaceae Family

• The members of Liliaceae family are important as Food,

vegetable, ornamental, medicinal purpose & are commonly known
as Lilly / Onion family.
• They are usually herbaceous.

• Inflorescence- Raceme, Solitary, Umbel.

• Flower- Bisexual, Hypogynous, Trimerous, colourful.
• There is no differentiation of Calyx & Corolla (Perianth).

• Androecium = 3+3, epitepalous (stamen attached with Tepals).

• Gyanocium: Tricarpellary syncarpous / G(3), Superior - ovary.
• Pollination by insect (Entomophilous).
Description of Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Allium hypsistum (Jimbu)

Description of Family: Liliaceae (Lily Family)

Zyphyranthes candida
 Economic Importance of Liliaceae (Lily Family)
• The Liliaceae family is economically important world-wide as;

• As food / vegetable: Allium cepa (Onion), Allium sativum (Garlic)

are highly consumable vegetable in the Kitchen.

• As Ornamental Garden plant: Zyphyranthes candida, Lilium

nepalense etc.

• As medicine: Fritilaria cirrhosa (Ban Lasun) is used as medicinal

purpose by rural communities of Nepal.

• As condiments: Allium hypsistum (Jimbu) used as tasty spice in

Kitchen (Daal Fry !).
Description of Flowering Plants : Plant Taxonomy

Q. Describe the family Liliaceae in semi-technical terms. (8)

 Taxonomy: Important Questions ???
1. Describe the given family in taxonomic terms with economic
importance, example, floral diagram ……………….. (8)
2. What do you mean by binomial system of nomenclature?
3. Describe 5 kingdom system of classification.
4. Write notes on Caryopsis, Drupe, Pome, Berry, Capsule etc.
5. What are the major types of inflorescence? Give diagram.
6. What is sexual system of classification (artificial system)?
How does it differs with Phylogenetic system of
classification & natural system of classification.
7. Give merit / demerits of 2 kingdom system of classification.
8. What do you mean by vexillary, imbricate, aestivation.
9. What is scientific naming, taxonomic hierarchy, systematics?
10. Differentiate: Papilionaceae, Caesapinoidae & Mimosasae
Good Luck !!!