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The Solanaceae family is one of the most significant and widely used plant groups by human beings. It is known as the potato or deadly nightshade family. This family includes some of the most important food plants in the world, including the potato, tomato, all peppers, and eggplant. There are over 90 genera and approximately 2,700 species in the Solanaceae family, which is found all over the world. Solanaceae is found in the tropics, subtropics, and also in temperate zones. There are some properties required to recognize the Solanaceae family, which are scientifically called vegetative characteristics.
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Plant
- Solanaceae family plants are mostly herbs and shrubs. There are rarely small trees.
- Most of the plants are edible, nutritionally, and economically relevant
- Some of the Solanaceae family plants contain medical properties while some are highly toxic.
Root
- Solanaceae roots have a branched taproot system.
- A taproot system is described as one that has a single main root growing downward.
- A taproot extends straight down into the earth and produces several tiny roots horizontally.
- The taproot's primary purpose is to absorb water and nutrients for the plant.
Stem
- Solanaceae stems can be aerial, high, ascending, woody, cylindrical, branching, and thick.
- They are somewhat hairy.
- Solanaceae family stems have herbaceous (relating to herbs) structure above and woody structure below.
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Leaves
- The leaves are usually simple and placed alternately. They can also be alternated at the base of the plant and opposed towards the inflorescence.
- Solanaceae family leaves are oval and unevenly pointed.
- Its leaf is rarely divided into smaller leaflets.
Solanum Americanum
Things to Remember
- The Solanaceae family is found on all continents of the world except Antarctica.
- South America and Central America have the largest diversity of Solanaceae species.
- The Solanaceae family is renowned for containing a wide variety of alkaloids. These alkaloids can be beneficial, harmful, or both to humans. Eg. Henbane, Belladonna, Jimson Weed, Mandrake, Tobacco Plants, etc contain alkaloids.
- Alkaloids substances also have important medicinal properties.
- Solanaceae leaves can be distinguished through reticulate venation. Reticulate venation means the web-like patterns of veins in a leaf.
- The nightshade family’s fruit species are better known and recognized as vegetables by most people.
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Interesting Facts
- The origin of the ‘nightshade’ term for the family is unclear.
- The most accepted theory is that the nightshade name is derived from the poisonous substances present in some plants of the family.
- Geographical Distribution of Nightshade or Potato or Solanum Family - Cosmopolitan in distribution, found in tropical as well as temperate climates. Majority distributed in Central and South America.
- World: 83 Genera and 2,925 Species ; India: 21 Genera and 90 Species; Maharashtra: 15 Genera and 63 Species.
Sample Questions
Ques 1. How will you distinguish Solanaceae members from Liliaceae members?(2 Marks)
Ans. The most basic way to distinguish between these two members is through their roots, leaves, and inflorescences. Solanaceae members have branched taproot, reticulate venation leaves, and pentamerous flowers (5 parts). On the other hand, Liliaceae members have adventitious fibrous roots, parallel venation leaves (parallel veins in leaves), and trimerous flowers (3 parts).
Ques 2. Who is the plant host of the Solanaceae family plants? (2 Marks)
Ans. The potato tuber moth (tobacco split worm), an oligophagous insect, is the main host of the nightshade family plant. The tobacco split worm eats the Solanaceae plants, particularly potatoes, while the female potato tuber moth lays her eggs on the leaves. The hatched larvae then eat the leaf's inner tissues, the plant's tubers, as well as roots. The potato tuber moth, scientifically known as Phthorimaea operculella, is a butterfly or moth larva that looks like a worm and is usually bright-colored.
Ques 3. What does the floral formula of the Solanaceae family represent? (3 Marks)
Ans. Solanaceae floral formula, a depiction of various floral elements, their quantities, arrangement patterns, and their relationships, is given as follows:
The symbols used to represent-
⊕ Actinomorphic (radial symmetry)
Bisexual
K(5) Calyx – 5 sepals
C(5) 5 petals (Corolla)
A5 5 stamens - polyandrous & epipetalous (free & attached to petals) - Androecium
G(2) Gynoecium – Bicarpellary, Syncarpous, Superior Ovary
Ques 4. Why is the most popular genus within the Solanaceae family genera? (2 Marks)
Ans. Among the Solanaceae family genera, the most popular genus is the Solanum. Solanum is a hugely diverse genus that includes three economically important food crops named potato, tomato, and eggplant as well as ornamental flowers. These species grow as annuals and perennials, vines, sub-shrubs, shrubs, and tiny trees, among other things.
Ques 5. What are the subfamilies of the Solanaceae family? (2 Marks)
Ans. The subfamilies are named Cestroideae, Nicotianoideae, Petunioideae, Goetzeoideae, Solanoideae, Schizanthoideae, and Schwenckioideae. These subfamilies are based upon the latest research study of the Solanaceae family and differentiated based on a number of factors including fruit types, seeds, alkaloids, flowers, etc.
Ques 6. Which subfamily has the most economically relevant genera? (2 Marks)
Ans. The Solanoideae subfamily contains the majority of economically significant genera except for tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum, Nicotianoideae) and petunia plants. The Solanoideae subfamily consists of tomato, potato, eggplant, aubergine, chili, bell peppers, capsicum, etc.
Ques 7. What types of alkaloids are found in Solanaceae? (2 Marks)
Ans. Solanaceae has a diverse range of alkaloids out of which tropanes are the most known. Other alkaloids included are Scopolamine, Atropine, Hyoscyamine, and Nicotine, Capsaicin, and Solanine. These alkaloids have different formulas, structures, and different levels of concentration of some lethal or effective substances.
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