Solanaceae

Solanaceae

Habit and habitat:-It is a large family, commonly called as the ‘potato family’. It is widely distributed in
Tropics, subtropics and even temperate zones. It is annual plant.

Vegetative Characters:-

Plants mostly, herbs, shrubs and small trees.

Root:- taproot, branched.

Stem: herbaceous rarely woody, aerial; erect, cylindrical, branched, solid or hollow,
Hairy or glabrous, underground stem in potato (Solanum tuberosum)

Leaves: alternate, simple, rarely pinnately compound, exstipulate; venation
Reticulate

Floral Characters

Inflorescence : Solitary, axillary or cymose as in Solanum

Flower: bisexual, actinomorphic

Calyx: sepals five, united, persistent, valvate aestivation

Corolla: petals five, united; valvate aestivation

Androecium: stamens five, epipetalous

Gynoecium: bicarpellary, syncarpous; ovary superior, bilocular, placenta swollen
With many ovules

Fruits: berry or capsule

Seeds: many, endospermous


Floral Formula:
 
 
Economic Importance

Many plants belonging to this family are source of food (tomato, brinjal, potato),
Spice (chili); medicine (belladonna, ashwagandha); fumigatory (tobacco);
Ornamentals (petunia).