Dr. S. Manikandan Lecturer in Botany

1. Dr. S. Manikandan, M.Sc., Ph.D.,
Lecturer in Botany

2.  Distribution & Habit
The Rubiaceae are trees, shrubs, or
infrequently herbs comprising about 450
genera and 6,500 species, including some
lianous forms.
Leaves
The leaves are simple and usually entire,
and are opposite or sometimes whorled;
stipules are present and interpetiolar.

4. Flower
The flowers are nearly always bisexual
and actinomorphic, often heterostylous, and
usually are in cymose inflorescences.
Calyx
The calyx is mostly somewhat reduced
and 4-5-lobed or sometimes the lobes are
obsolete or rarely one of them greatly
expanded and brightly colored.

5.  Corolla
The sympetalous corolla is mostly 4-5-
lobed, occasionally with 3 or up to 10
lobes.
Androecium
The androecium consists of as many
stamens as corolla lobes and is adnate to
the corolla tube or epigynous zone,
alternate with the lobes.

6.  Gynoecium
The gynoecium consists of a single
compound pistil of 2 or seldom more
carpels, a single style, and a nearly
always inferior ovary with the number of
locules equaling the number of carpels,
each with 1-many axile ovules. An
epigynous nectary disk is usually present.
Fruit
The fruit is variable, sometimes forming
multiples.

7.  Sources of coffee (Coffea), quinine
(Cinchona, Morinda), and many ornamentals
(e.g. Gardenia, Rubia, Mitchella, Coprosma).

8.  Distribution & Habit
The Asteraceae are herbs, shrubs, or less
commonly trees and are arguably the largest
family of flowering plants, comprising about
1,100 genera and 20,000 species that are
characterized by having the flowers reduced
and organized into an involucrate
pseudanthium in the form of a head or
capitulum.

10.  Leaves
The leaves are alternate, opposite, or less
commonly whorled, and range from simple to
pinnately or palmately compound; stipules are
absent.
Subtending and often partly enclosing the
florets of the head is one or more series of usually
green, free or variously connate bracts called
involucral bracts or phyllaries. Another kind of
bract called a receptacular bract or chaff may be
associated with each disk floret throughout the
head.

11. The flowers are of two basic types: those with
tubular actinomorphic corollas and those with
strap-shaped or radiate zygomorphic corollas,
often within the same head. Either type may be
bisexual or unisexual.
Where both types are found in a single head,
the central flowers have tubular, usually 4-5- lobed
corollas, and generally are bisexual, and the
peripheral flowers have strap-shaped corollas
generally with 3 distal teeth, and are usually
female.

12.  Sometimes the heads lack ray flowers and
are said to be discoid, consisting of only
bisexual florets with tubular corollas. So-
called disciform heads have bisexual central
disk flowers surrounded by female flowers
that have a very slender tube and an
extremely suppressed or obsolete ligule.

13.  Ligulate heads consist only of bisexual
florets with corollas of the ligulate or strap-
shaped type but with generally 5 rather than
3 distal teeth. In another variation some or all
of the florets in the head have 2-lipped
corollas.
 In all cases the calyx is absent or so highly
modified as hairs, bristles or scales on the
ovary summit that it is given the alternative
name of pappus. The corolla is sympetalous
with mostly 3-5 lobes.

14.  Androecium
The androecium nearly always consists of
4 or 5 stamens that are united by their anthers
and are adnate to the corolla tube or epigynous
zone, alternate with the lobes.

15. Gynoecium
The gynoecium consists of a single compound
pistil of 2 carpels, a single 2-cleft style, and an
inferior ovary with one locule and one basal
ovule.
 Friut
The fruit is an achene which may have a
persistent pappus that commonly functions in
fruit dispersal.

16.  Carthamus
 Eclipta
 Tridax

17.  Habit
Herbs (usually), or shrubs, or lianas.
Perennial; with a basal aggregation of leaves, or
with neither basal nor terminal aggregations of
leaves. Self supporting, or climbing; sometimes
stem twiners.
Leaves
Leaves alternate; spiral; ‘herbaceous’, or
leathery (Aegialitis); petiolate to sessile, stipulate,
or exstipulate; without a persistent basal meristem.

19.  The ultimate inflorescence unit cymose, or
racemose. Inflorescences scapiflorous, or
not scapiflorous;
 Flower
Flowers bracteolate; small; regular; 5 merous;
cyclic; tetracyclic. Free hypanthium absent.
Hypogynous disk absent.

20.  Calyx
Calyx regular; persistent; valvate, or plicate
in bud.
Corolla
Corolla 5; 1 whorled; gamopetalous, or
polypetalous (or almost so); imbricate, or
contorted; regular;

21.  Androecium
Androecium exclusively of fertile stamens.
Stamens 5; isomerous with the perianth;
alternisepalous; opposite the corolla
members, Anthers dorsifixed, or basifixed
(Aegialitis); versatile, or non-versatile;
dehiscing via longitudinal slits; introrse;

22.  Gynoecium
Gynoecium 5 carpelled. Carpels isomerous
with the perianth. The pistil 1 celled.
Gynoecium syncarpous, Placentation basal.
Ovules in the single cavity 1; pendulous
(from a long, basally attached funicle)
Fruit
Capsule, or a nut. Capsules when dehiscent
circumscissile, or valvular

23.  Plumbago auriculata
leadwort, plumbago, hilie'e.
Common ornamental, usually
blue-flowered shrub from
South Africa; poisonous.
Ornamental use:
Plumbago rosea

24.  Distribution
The family includes about 355 genera and
3,700 species.
Habit
The Apocynaceae are trees, shrubs, herbs,
and vines or lianas, sometimes succulent,
usually with milky sap.

25.  Leaves
The leaves are simple, usually opposite and
decussate, sometimes whorled or alternate;
stipules are reduced or absent.
Flower
The flowers are bisexual and actinomorphic
or sometimes weakly zygomorphic.

27.  Calyx
The calyx consists of usually 5 free or
basally connate lobes.
Corolla
The corolla is sympetalous and usually 5-
lobed, often with adnate coronal
appendages.

28.  Androecium
The stamens are as many as corolla lobes
and alternate with them, adnate to the corolla
tube (perigynous zone). The anthers are
introrse and usually adherent to the surface of
the (often enlarged) stigma, or the anthers may
be joined more firmly to the stigma so as to
form a gynostemium (gynostegium) which
commonly is also conjoined to coronal
appendages. Pollen is released as monads,
tetrads, or in agglutinated masses called
pollinia. The pollinia are usually in pairs that
are transferred as a unit during pollination.

29.  Gynoecium
The gynoecium consists of a single compound
pistil of 2 carpels that may be distinct at the
level of the superior or rarely partly inferior
ovary but which are united by the single style
and stigma, or at least by the single stigma..
When distinct, each ovary typically has a single
locule with few to numerous ovules on marginal
placentae; when connate, the placentation is
axile (2 locules) or intruded parietal (1 locule). A
nectary consisting of 5 glands or an annular ring
is usually found at the base of the ovary.

30.  Fruit
The fruit is commonly a follicle, capsule, or
berry.
Seed
The seeds usually are flat and winged or
have a tuft of hairs at one end.

31.  Nerium indicum
The plant possess medicinal properties
Wrightia tinctoria
The fruits are edible, The bark and seeds
possess medicinal properties
Rauvolfia serpentina
The root having medicinal properties and are
used in the treatment of hypertension,
mental disorders and related ailments.

32.  Distribution
The Asclepiadaceae are mostly herbs and
shrubs with white sap comprising about 250
genera and 2,000 species, many of which
are lianous and some of which are cactuslike
succulents with reduced leaves.
Leaves
The leaves are simple and nearly always
opposite or whorled; minute stipules are
present.

34.  Flower
The flowers are bisexual, nearly always
actinomorphic, and usually include an
elaborate crown or corona of nectariferous
appendages between the corolla and sexual
parts.
Calyx
The calyx consists of 5 distinct or basally
connate sepals.

35.  Corolla
The inner perianth is a 5-lobed sympetalous
corolla.
Androecium
The androecium and gynoecium are nearly
always adnate into a gynostegium with five
highly modified stamens and a massive, 5-
lobed stigma. The anthers usually produce
paired sacs of pollen called pollinia that are
transferred as a unit during pollination.

36.  Gynoecium
The gynoecium consists of a single compound
pistil of two nearly distinct carpels that are
separate at the level of the ovaries and styles
and are united only by a single massive stigma.
The ovaries are distinct, nearly always superior,
and each has a single locule with numerous
marginal ovules.
Fruit
The fruit is a follicle.

37.  Asclepias curassavica
The root is used as a purgative
and as a medicine for piles.
Calatropis gigantea
All parts of the plant are used
medicinally. The fresh leaves are
used in the fermentation for
swellings. The gun powder
charcoal is prepared from the
wood.

38.  Distribution
Loganiaceae are a family of flowering plants
classified in order Gentianales. The family
includes 13 genera, distributed around the
world's tropics.
Habit
Herbs, or shrubs (or subshrubs); non-
ticiferous and without coloured juice.

40.  Leaves
Leaves more or less stipulate, or exstipulate
(but then the opposing leaf bases connected by
lateral lines). Stipules interpetiolar (usually
represented by a ‘stipular sheath’, but each
lateral component of the sheath is sometimes
resolvable into a pair of joined stipules.
Occasionally
Leaves opposite; ‘herbaceous’, or leathery, or
membranous; petiolate to sessile; connate

41.  Inflorescence
The terminal inflorescence unit usually
cymose. Inflorescences terminal, or axillary.
Flower
Flowers bracteate; bracteolate; fragrant
(sometimes); regular; 4 merous (only L.
micrantha), or 5 merous; cyclic; tetracyclic.
Hypogynous disk small or absent.

42.  Calyx
Calyx 4 (rarely), or 5; 1 whorled; gamosepalous;
blunt-lobed, or toothed; regular; imbricate; when
K 5, with the median member anterior.
Corolla
Corolla 4 (rarely), or 5; 1 whorled;
gamopetalous (often internally hairy); imbricate;
(tubular-) campanulate, or hypocrateriform, or
rotate; regular; white, or yellow, or pink.

43.  Androecium
Stamens 4 (L. micrantha), or 5; inserted midway
down the corolla tube, or in the throat of the
corolla tube; isomerous with the perianth;
oppositisepalous; alternating with the corolla
members.
Filaments not appendiculate. Anthers
dorsifixed; dehiscing via longitudinal slits
(glabrous); introrse; unappendaged. Pollen
grains aperturate; 3 aperturate; colporate.

44.  Gynoecium
Gynoecium 2 carpelled. Carpels reduced in
number relative to the perianth. The pistil 2
celled. Gynoecium syncarpous; eu-
syncarpous; superior. Ovary 2 locular.
Gynoecium median. Ovary sessile.
Gynoecium stylate. Styles 1; attenuate from
the ovary; apical. Stigmas 1; 1 lobed, or 2
lobed; clavate, or capitate. Placentation axile
 Fruit
Fruit non-fleshy; dehiscent, or a schizocarp

45.  Strychnos nux-vomica
It is a major source of the highly
poisonous alkaloids strychnine and
brucine, derived from the seeds
inside the tree's round, green to
orange fruit. The seeds contain
approximately 1.5% strychnine,
and the dried blossoms contain
1.023%. However, the tree's bark
also contains brucine and other
poisonous compounds.

46.  Distribution
Gentianaceae are a family of flowering
plants of 87 genera and over 1500 species.
Habit
The habit varies from small trees, pachycaul
shrubs to (usually) herbs, with ascending,
erect or twining stems. Plants are usually
rhizomatous.

48.  Leaves
Leaves opposite, less often alternate or in
some species whorled, simple in shape,
with entire edges and bases connately
attached to the stem. Stipules are absent.
Inflorescence
The inflorescence is cymose, with simple or
complex cymes.

49.  Flowers are actinomorphic and bisexual with
fused sepals and petals. The stamens are
attached to the inside of the petals (epipetalous)
and alternate with the corolla lobes.
 There is a glandular disk at the base of the
gynoecium, and flowers have parietal
placentation.
 Fruit
The fruits are dehiscent septicidal capsules
splitting into two halves, rarely some species
have a berry.

50. 1. Eustoma
2. Exacum
3. Gentiana
4. Sabatia
These plants are
used to ornamental
purpose.

51.  Distribution
This family contain 85 genera and 2,800
species that are frequently lianous or
creeping.
Habit
The Solanaceae are herbs, shrubs, or trees

53.  Leaves
The leaves are alternate, usually simple, and
lack stipules.
Flower
The flowers are bisexual and actinomorphic
or only slightly zygomorphic. The perianth
and androecium whorls generally are
isomerous and usually are 5- or sometimes
4- or 6-merous.

54.  Calyx
The calyx is synsepalous, ranging from
tubular to deeply cleft.
Corolla
The corolla is sympetalous and ranges from
forms with a short tube and rather long,
reflexed lobes to forms with a long tube and
short lobes.

55.  Androecium
The stamens are distinct, alternating with the
lobes of the corolla, and adnate to the corolla
tube or perigynous zone.
Gynoecium
The gynoecium consists of a single compound
pistil of 2 carpels, a single style, and a superior
ovary with 2 or rarely more locules by false
partitioning, each with nearly always numerous
axile ovules. A nectary disk is generally present
around the base of the ovary.
Friut
The fruit is a berry or septicidal capsule.

56.  Food plants
Solanum tuberosum
Lycopersicum
esculantum
Solanum
melongena
Medicinal Uses
Datura stramonium
Nicotiana tobaccum

57.  Distribution & Habit
The Acanthaceae are mostly herbs or shrubs
comprising about 250 genera and 2,500
species, including twining forms.
Leaves
The leaves are simple, opposite and
decussate; stipules are lacking.

59. Flower
The flowers are bisexual, zygomorphic, and
usually are associated with conspicuous, often
brightly colored bracts.
Calyx
The calyx is usually deeply 4-5 lobed or
sometimes is highly reduced with more
numerous minute teeth.
Corolla
The corolla is sympetalous, usually 5-merous,
mostly zygomorphic, and commonly 2 lipped.

60.  Androecium
The androecium usually consists of 4
didynamous stamens or only 2 stamens adnate
to the corolla tube or epigynous zone, alternate
with the lobes.
Gynoecium
The gynoecium consists of a single compound
pistil of 2 carpels, a single style, and a superior
ovary with 2 locules, each with usually 2-10
axile ovules in one or two collateral vertical
tiers. An annular nectary disk is usually found
around the base of the ovary.

61.  Fruit
The fruit is commonly an elastically
dehiscent loculicidal capsule.
Economic Importance
A few cultivated ornamentals: Adhatoda,
Acanthus, Aphelandra, Fittonia, Beloperone,
Justicia, etc.

62.  Distribution & Habit
The Verbenaceae are herbs, lianas, shrubs,
or trees comprising about 36 genera and
1,035 species that are further characterized
by the common occurrence of quadrangular
twigs and/or aromatic herbage.
Leaves
The leaves are nearly always opposite or
whorled, mostly simple; stipules are lacking.

64.  Flower
The flowers are nearly always bisexual and
zygomorphic, forming racemes, spikes, or
heads.
Calyx
The calyx is synsepalous and most commonly
5-merous.
Corolla
The corolla is sympetalous, usually unequally
5-lobed, and often weakly 2-lipped.

65.  Androecium
The androecium most commonly consists of 4
didynamous stamens adnate to the corolla tube
or perigynous zone, alternate with the lobes.
Gynoecium
The gynoecium consists of a single compound
pistil of nearly always 2 carpels and an unlobed
or shallowly lobed ovary, usually with 4 locules
(by false septation), each with a single axile
ovule. The style is terminal and uncleft, bearing
a conspicuous, usually bilobed stigma. A
weakly developed annular nectary disk occurs
around the base of the ovary in many species.

66.  Fruit
The fruit is usually a
drupe with 2 or 4 pits or
a schizocarp splitting into
2 or 4 nutlets.
Economic
Importance
Timber from Tectona
grandis (teak); some
notable ornamentals,
e.g. Clerodendrum,
Callicarpa, Vitex,
Lantana, Verbena;
noxious, photosensitizing
weeds (Lantana).

67.  Distribution
These family comprising about 258 genera
and 6,970 species
Habit
The Lamiaceae are herbs shrubs, or trees,
commonly with aromatic, herbage,
quadrangular stems, and verticillate
inflorescences.

69.  Leaves
The leaves are usually opposite or whorled,
and are simple or occasionally pinnately
compound; stipules are absent.
Flower
The flowers are bisexual and zygomorphic,
cymosely clustered on the secondary
inflorescence axes.

70.  Calyx
The calyx is synsepalous, typically 5-
merous, sometimes 2-lipped, and usually
has 5-15 conspicuous ribs.
Corolla
The corolla is sympetalous and typically
bilabiate with 2 lobes forming an upper lip
and 3 lobes forming a lower lip.

71.  Androecium
The androecium consists of either 4 didynamous
stamens or only two stamens that are adnate to the
corolla tube or perigynous zone, alternate with the
lobes.
Gynoecium
The gynoecium consists of a single compound
ovary of 2 carpels, an unlobed to deeply 4-lobed
superior ovary with 4 apparent locules (by intrusion
of the ovary wall), each with a single basal-axile
ovule. The style is terminal to gynobasic; stigmas 2,
tiny and inconspicuous, at the apices of the style
branches. A hypogynous, often asymmetric
nectariferous disk is generally present between the
stamens and ovary.

72.  Fruit
The fruit is a drupe with 1-4 pits, a 4-seeded
indehiscent pod or a schizocarp splitting into
four 1-seeded nutlets that rarely may be
fleshy and drupaceous.

73.  The source, par excellence, of aromatic and
antibiotic essential oils for the
pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries
(species of Salvia, Lavandula, Rosmarinus,
Mentha, Marrubium, Pogostemon etc.), and
far aromatic / flavoursome pot herbs (Salvia,
Origanum, Thymus, Ocimum, Satureia etc.).
Many are cultivated as ornamentals (Salvia,
Ajuga, Physostegia, Monarda, Scutellaria,
Nepeta, Teucrium, Stachys, Phlomis etc.).