Transcript Caryophyllaceae

Where we’ve been:
Basal Families:
•
•
Family: Amborellaceae
Family: Nymphaceae
Subclass Magnoliidae:
– Order Magnoliales
• Family: Magnoliaceae
– Order Laurales
• Family: Lauraceae
EUDICOTS:
‘Basal Tricolpates’:
– Order Ranunculales
• Family: Ranunculaceae
• Family: Berberidaceae
• Family: Papaveraceae
– Order Proteales
• Family: Platanaceae
How should we think about all of this
information???
First, let’s think in terms of evolution:
Magnoliaceae as a baseline: primitive characteristics
• usually woody, and lacking vessels
• flower parts not well differentiated (corolla/calyx not distinct,
anthers/filaments not distinct)
• flower parts many!! (lots of spirally arranged tepals,
stamens, carpels)
• flower parts free, not fused (tepals free, carpels free, stamens
not adnate to petals or connate)
• flowers PERFECT
• ovaries hypogynous, and carpels not sealed by fusion
• flowers radial, not bilateral
• leaves simple, entire and alternate – and often with aromatic
oils
• monocolpate pollen
As we encounter new families, we will watch
new ‘derived characters’ come on the scene.
For example:
Leaves can become:
Flower parts can:
• compound to twicecompound to…
• emarginate (toothed,
lobed, etc.)
• fuse, becoming connate
or adnate
• differentiate
• reduce in number
• become more
elegant/sophisticated in
arrangement
Or, flower parts can modify
in all kinds of interesting
ways! Stay tuned……..
• opposite
Flowers can become:
• bilateral
• imperfect
Next, let’s focus on characteristics
of each family:
• What are the basic traits?
– Overall habit
– Leaves
– Flowers:
• Perianth: calyx and corolla
• Androecium
• Gynoecium
– Fruit
– What is the norm for this family? What are the
outliers like?
– What are some of the unique features that make this
family distinctive?
Subclass: Caryophyllidae
Orders: Caryophyllales and Polygonales
• Primarily herbaceous and succulent
• Carpels usually 2 or more, connate
• Embryo usually curved
• Seed with perisperm rather than endosperm
(perisperm is derived from nucellus, rather than
megasporangium; if you want to know more
about this, we can talk in office hours; I’m not
concerned with your knowing this last tidbit)
• Color from betalains (except for
Caryophyllaceae and Polygonaceae, where
color is from anthocyanins)
Order: Caryophyllales
• 18 families, 8600 species
• We will focus on five of these families:
– Caryophyllaceae
– Amaranthaceae
– Aizoaceae
– Portulacaceae
– Cactaceae
Caryophyllaceae: The ‘Pink’ Family
Notice:
• Swollen nodes
• Opposite leaves
• Secondary venation
subtle
• Primary veins appear
parallel
Cymose inflorescence
with determinate flowering
pattern
Agrostemma capsules
Curved Embryos
Seeds! Notice textured seed coat
and curved embryos of
Caryophyllaceae
Amaranthaceae (incl.
Chenopodaceae): ‘Amaranth Family’
One typical ‘habit’
Diverse
inflorescence
structure and
overall
morphology
Can be succulent too:
Aizoaceae: ‘Stone Plant Family’
Varied vegetation – similar flowers
Portulacaceae: ‘Purslane Family’
Lots of variation – leaf shape,
flower size, flower color -
One basic form: notice sepal-like
bracts subtending flower
Similar vegetation – different
flowers! (be careful)
Bladder-like cells – not always easy
to see, but sometimes…
Cactaceae: ‘Cactus Family’
Primitive cacti have broad leaves!!
However, most
cacti are ‘stemsucculents’.
Areoles with spines
Inflorescence of solitary flowers
emerging from areoles
Ovary usually +/- inferior
Fruit are berries, sometimes with
stem tissue enclosing them
Polygonaceae: ‘Knotweed Family’
Eriogonum sp.
OCREA: Stipules sheathing stem
Notice angular
‘knotted’ habit of
stems.