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1. **Dicotyledonous Plants:**
- Majority show direct elongation of radicle leading to primary root formation.
- Primary root grows into the soil.
- Lateral roots of several orders develop, known as secondary, tertiary, etc. roots.
- Primary root and its branches form tap root system (e.g., mustard plant).
2. **Monocotyledonous Plants:**
- Primary root is short-lived.
- Replaced by numerous roots originating from stem base.
- Forms fibrous root system (e.g., wheat plant).
3. **Adventitious Roots:**
- Roots arise from parts other than radicle.
- Found in plants like grass, Monstera, and banyan tree.
- Called adventitious roots (e.g., Monstera and banyan tree).
1. **Root Cap:**
- Thimble-like structure covering the apex of the root.
- Protects the delicate tip of the root during its penetration through the soil.
3. **Region of Elongation:**
- Proximal to the meristematic region.
- Cells here undergo rapid elongation and enlargement, leading to root lengthening.
4. **Region of Maturation:**
- Proximal to the elongation zone.
- Cells gradually differentiate and mature.
5. **Root Hairs:**
- Fine, delicate, thread-like structures originating from epidermal cells in the maturation zone.
- Responsible for absorption of water and minerals from the soil.
2. **Structural Features:**
- Bears nodes (where leaves are born) and internodes (portions between
nodes).
- Bears buds, which can be terminal or axillary.
- Initially green when young, may become woody and dark brown later.
3. **Functions:**
- Spreads out branches bearing leaves, flowers, and fruits.
- Conducts water, minerals, and photosynthates (products of photosynthesis).
- Some stems store food, provide support, offer protection, and enable vegetative propagation.
• Shape, margin, apex, surface, and incision extent vary in different leaves.
Venation Definition:
• Reticulate Venation:
• Veinlets form a network.
• Typical of dicotyledonous plants.
• Parallel Venation:
• Veins run parallel to each other within the lamina.
• Characteristic of most monocotyledons.
Simple Leaves:
• Pinnately Compound:
• Leaflets arranged along a common axis (rachis), resembling midrib.
• Example: neem.
• Palmately Compound:
• Leaflets attached at a common point, typically at the tip of the petiole.
• Example: silk cotton.
Phyllotaxy Definition:
• Alternate:
• Single leaf arises at each node alternately.
• Example: china rose, mustard, sunflower.
• Opposite:
• A pair of leaves arises at each node, opposite to each other.
• Example: Calotropis, guava.
• Whorled:
• More than two leaves arise at a node, forming a whorl.
• Example: Alstonia.
• Racemose:
• Main axis continues to grow.
• Flowers borne laterally in an acropetal succession.
• Cymose:
• Main axis terminates in a flower, limited in growth.
• Flowers borne in a basipetal order.
Reproductive Function:
• Four whorls arranged successively on the swollen end of the stalk or pedicel (thalamus/receptacle):
calyx, corolla, androecium, and gynoecium.
• Calyx and corolla are accessory organs; androecium and gynoecium are reproductive organs.
• In some flowers like lily, calyx and corolla are indistinct and termed as perianth.
3. Sexuality and Symmetry:
Parts of a Flower:
• Composed of petals.
• Petals are often brightly colored to attract pollinators.
• Corolla may be gamopetalous (petals united) or polypetalous (petals free).
• Shapes and colors of corolla vary greatly among plants.
4. Aestivation:
• Arrangement of sepals or petals in the floral bud relative to other members of the same whorl.
• Types of aestivation: valvate, twisted, imbricate, and vexillary.
ndroecium (5.5.1.3):
• Composed of stamens, the male reproductive organs of the flower.
• Each stamen consists of a filament and an anther.
• Anther is usually bilobed, each lobe having two pollen-sacs where pollen grains are produced.
• Sterile stamen is called a staminode.
2. Arrangement and Attachment of Stamens:
• Stamens may be attached to petals (epipetalous) as in brinjal or to the perianth (epiphyllous) as in lily.
• Stamens may be free (polyandrous) or united in varying degrees.
• They may be united into one bundle (monoadelphous) as in china rose, two bundles (diadelphous) as
in pea, or more than two bundles (polyadelphous) as in citrus.
• Filament length variation within a flower may occur, as seen in Salvia and mustard.
Gynoecium (5.5.1.4):
• Fruit is a characteristic feature of flowering plants, developed from the mature or ripened ovary after
fertilization.
• Parthenocarpic fruit is formed without fertilization of the ovary.
2. Structure of Fruit:
• Drupe:
• Develops from monocarpellary superior ovaries.
• Typically one-seeded.
• Examples: mango, coconut.
• Mango: Epicarp is thin, mesocarp is fleshy and edible, endocarp is stony.
• Coconut: Mesocarp is fibrous.
**Vegetative Characters:**
- Mostly herbs, occasionally shrubs or small trees.
- Stem: Herbaceous, rarely woody, aerial, erect, cylindrical, branched, solid or hollow. Underground stem in potato
(Solanum tuberosum).
- Leaves: Alternate, simple, rarely pinnately compound, without stipules. Exhibits reticulate venation.
**Floral Characters:**
- **Inflorescence:** Solitary, axillary, or cymose.
- **Flower:** Bisexual, actinomorphic.
- **Calyx:** Five sepals, united, persistent, valvate aestivation.
- **Corolla:** Five petals, united, valvate aestivation.
- **Androecium:** Five stamens, epipetalous.
- **Gynoecium:** Bicarpellary, syncarpous; superior ovary, bilocular, axile placentation, with many ovules.
**Floral Formula:** ⊕
**Economic Importance:**
- Source of food: Tomato, brinjal, potato.
- Spice: Chilli.
- Medicine: Belladonna, ashwagandha.
- Fumigatory: Tobacco.
- Ornamentals: Petunia.
The Solanaceae family includes a diverse range of plants with significant economic importance, serving as sources of
food, spice, medicine, and ornamentals.