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The Liliaceae family, better known as the Lily family, consists of more than 700 species of flowering plants in this world. They are basically monocotyledons, perennial in nature, herbaceous, and generally bulbous geophytes.
- Liliaceae belongs to the family of angiosperms.
- As per the NCERT Class 11 Biology syllabus, they are divided into Floral and Vegetative characters.
- The flowering plant is symmetrical radical.
- It consists of 250 different genera and 4075 species of flower.
- Liliaceae contain both female (gynoecium) and male (androecium) characteristics.
- These flowers serve as the foundation of monocot stock.
- The leaves in these flowering plants are linear, with veins running parallel to the edges.
- Tulip, Aloe, and Lilium are some examples of the Liliaceae family.
Key Terms: Liliaceae Family, Liliaceae, Flowering Plants, Angiosperms, Monocotyledons, Phanerogams, Floral Formula, Vegetative Characteristics, Gynoecium
Systematic Position of Liliaceae
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The systematic position of Liliaceae family is as follows:
| Category | Data |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Sub- Kingdom | Tracheobionta |
| Super-Division | Spermatophyta |
| Division | Magnoliophyta |
| Class | Liliopsida |
| Sub-Class | Liliidae |
| Order | Liliales |
| Family | Liliaceae |
Floral Formula of Liliaceae
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Liliaceae is a type of flowering plant that consists of six tepals in two whorls of three, usually fused into a tube, an occasional tepal anterior and valvate aestivation.
- Its flowers are actinomorphic, hypogynous, hypogynous, and bisexual.
- A floral formula is a representation of different floral parts along with their arrangement patterns.
- It also specifies the connection between different floral parts.
- The floral formula for onion of the Liliaceae Family is as follows:
floral formula
where
- Br: Bracteate
- ⚥: Bisexual
- ⊕: Actinomorphic
- P(3+3): Perianth – 6 tepals in two whorls, gamophyllous (united)
- G(3) : Gynoecium – tricarpellary, syncarpous (united), superior ovary
- A3+3 : Androecium – 6 stamens, polyandrous (free), epiphyllous (attached to tepals)
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Vegetative Characteristics of Liliaceae Family
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There are three most basic parts of the plant that comes under the category of Vegetative Characteristics of Liliaceae Family which are Root, Stem and Leaf.
- The economic importance of this family has made it grow so popular among humans
Roots
Roots are responsible for supporting the base of plants, giving them the power to absorb nutrients from the soil, conducting nutrients to the stem, and anchoring a plant.
- Being a division of monocotyledonae, Liliaceae family flowering plants consist of Fibrous roots which are bushy and thin.
- They are moderately branching roots that grow from the stem.
Stem
The stem is an important part of the plant, containing branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. It develops from the plumule of the embryo of a germinating seed.
- They bear nodes where leaves are born and internodes, which are the portions between two nodes.
- The stems of Liliaceae family plants are erect and perennial.
- It means they complete their life cycle in more than two years and propagate through bulbs or rhizomes.
- The stems of this family don’t die after bearing fruits but renew after every season.
Apart from this property, the stem is responsible for conducting important chemicals such as water, minerals, and photosynthates and also helps in vegetative propagation, storage of food, and protection of plants.
Leaves
The leaf is a lateral, generally flattened structure originating from the stem. It develops at the node and bears a bud in its axil, which later turns into a branch.
- Leaves are another important part of plants that are responsible for bearing fruits
- They play an important part in photosynthesis, making plants survive in the world.
- The Liliaceae family contains exstipulate or estipulate leaves that don’t contain stipules.
- Leaves of this family are simple, i.e., the lamina of the leaves don’t touch the midrib.
There is another basic property of Liliaceae family leaves, i.e. alternate leaf arrangement, which means leaves are arranged alternatively on the stem with one leaf per node in a straight line.
- The veins of the leaves are perpendicular to the midvein, which runs along with the entire leaf.
- Thus, there is parallel venation in the leaves of the Liliaceae family.
- Venation provides multiple benefits to the entire plant, such as physical support and coordination among leaves.
- It also helps in carrying nutrients and identification and classification of various flowering plants.
Liliaceae family
Economic Importance
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The Liliaceae family contributes to the world in various ways. It greatly impacts the economy of many countries, especially India, as various Ayurveda plants are coming under this category.
- Various types of uses of this family are listed below:
Medicinal Properties
The Liliaceae family contains various flowers that possess highly medicinal properties. It includes Aloe Vera, Smilax, Colchicine, etc.
Ornaments
Flowering plants coming under this family are also used as ornaments. It includes Lilium, Tulips, Gloriosa, Ruscus, etc.
Source of Food
The flowering plants of the Liliaceae family are also used as a source of food. It includes Asparagus.
Flavoring Agents
The Liliaceae family are also used as a flavouring agent. It includes roots of various species of Smilax that are used as flavouring agents.
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Things to Remember
- The Liliaceae family is a type of flowering plant that consists of Fibrous roots which are bushy and thin.
- They are moderately branching roots that grow from the stem.
- An important characteristic of the Liliaceae family is that stems of this family don’t die after bearing fruits.
- It will renew after every season.
- The leaves of this family have alternate leaf arrangement.
- These plants have highly medicinal properties and are used in the preparation of ornaments.
Sample Questions
Ques: Perennial herbs with underground stems are a part of which family? (2 marks)
Ans: The Liliaceae family contains perennial herbs with underground stems. The stem of Liliaceae family plants are erect and perennial which means they complete their life cycle in more than two years and propagate through bulbs or rhizomes. An important characteristic of this family is that the stems don’t die after bearing fruits but renew after every season.
Ques: Propagation through Bulbs and rhizomes are part of which family? What is their economic importance? (2 marks)
Ans: The stem of Liliaceae family plants propagates through bulbs or rhizomes. This family contains plants that can be used as ornaments, medicines, vegetables, and have various other common uses like that of a flavoring agent.
Ques: Basal Leaves are found in which family? What is the structure of their leaves? (3 marks)
Ans: Basil leaves are found in the Liliaceae family. Liliaceae family contains exstipulate and simple leaves with alternate arrangement and parallel venation.
- They have glossy-oval shaped leaves with smooth or slightly toothed edges.
- The arrangement of leaves is done along the square stems.
- The flowers are arranged in the form of terminal clusters.
- The colour of these flowers range from white to magneta.
Ques: Which of the following is not a feature of the Liliaceae family? (2 marks)
- Mostly basal
- Alternate
- Exispulate
- Reticulate Venation
Ans: Correct answer is D. Reticulate Venation.
Explanation: This is not a feature of the Liliaceae family as parallel venation is a characteristic of the leaves of this family. There is parallel venation in leaves of the Liliaceae family i.e. the veins in the leaves are perpendicular to the midvein, which runs along with the entire leaf.
Ques: Common examples of the Liliaceae family are? (2 marks)
- Allium cepa, Aloe vera, and Tamarindus indica
- Saraca indica, Allium cepa, and Aloe vera
- Allium sativum, Allium cepa, and Aloe vera
- Tamarindus indica, Allium cepa, and Allium sativum
Ans: Correct answer is C. Allium sativum, Allium cepa, and Aloe vera
Explanation: Liliaceae consists of 15 genera and more than 600 species. The common example of Liliaceae family includes Allium sativum, Allium cepa, Convallaria majalis, and Aloe vera as all these plants contain basic characteristics of Liliaceae family.
Ques: Which types of roots are present in the Liliaceae family? (1 mark)
Ans: Liliaceae family flowering plants consist of Fibrous roots which are bushy and thin. They are moderately branching roots that grow from the stem.
Ques: Mention the characterictics of Liliaceae family? (3 marks)
Ans: The characteristics of Liliaceae family are as follows:
- They consists of perennial herbs which help in propagation through bulbs or rhizomes.
- It consists of both sex organs.
- The flower of these family are radially or bilaterally symmetrical.
- It forms siix tepals (undifferentiated sepals and petals) which are arranged into two separate whorls of three parts.
Ques: Explain some types of Liliaceae flowers? (4 marks)
Ans: Some types of Liliaceae flowers are as follows:
- Melanthioidae: Melanthioidae consists of scaly leaves which are covered by the rhizome.
- Herrerioideae: Herrerioideae is a form of tubers with growing stems, and miniature flower that make up the inflorescence.
- Asphodeloideae: Asphodeloideae belong to the category of rhizome which have radical leaves and an inflorescence spike.
- Alliodeae: Alliodeae consists of bulb or short rhizome that consists of umbel-shaped cymose flowers.
- Lilioideae: Lilioideae conists of bulb and stem that have leaves.
- Scilloideae: Scilloideae is a bulb-containing flower with a leafless stem.
Ques: What are the medicinal properties of Liliaceae flowers? (4 marks)
Ans: The medicinal properties of Liliaceae flowers are as follows:
- Asphodel is a plant bearing white flower is used to stop bleeding in case of injury.
- It is used to control pigmentation of the skin.
- Mediterranean smilax is an effect plant that iis used to reduce hypertension and hyperglycemia.
- The plant is used in the production of steroids.
- Aloe Vera is the most popular category of flower that is used in in numerous hair and skincare products.
- It provide sooting effects in case of sunburns, deep wounds, dermatitis etc.
Ques: Mention the properties of leaves in Liliaceae family? (4 marks)
Ans: There are leaves in the Liliaceae family that are exstipulate or estipulate but lack stipules. This family's leaves are simple in that their lamina do not come in contact with the midrib.
- Another fundamental characteristic of leaves in the Liliaceae family is alternate leaf arrangement, which denotes that leaves are arranged in a straight line, one leaf per node, alternately on the stem.
- The midvein, which runs the length of the leaf, is perpendicular to the leaf veins.
- As a result, leaves in the Liliaceae family have parallel veining.
- It also aids in the transportation of nutrients and in the identification and categorization of different flowering plants.
Ques: Explain the characteristics of roots? (3 marks)
Ans: The characteristics of roots are as follows:
- The portion of the plant system that descends underground is called the root system.
- Positive geotropism exists.
- It is phototropic in the negative sense.
- It does not have chlorophyllous tissue, which explains why it is not green.
- It is devoid of any internode or node.
- The root's pericycle is where lateral roots emerge.
- When a tap root system is present, the root cap typically shields the tip of the root.
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