Topic 14 - Major dicot talons (identification and importance)

Question 1

Angiosperms

Answer 1

Flowering plants

Seeds are enclosed by mature ovaries, or fruits

Question 2

Dicots

Answer 2

group of angiosperms whose seeds have two embryonic leaves or cotyledons

Question 3

Major groups of dicot plants

Answer 3

Ranunculaceae
Euphorbiaceae
Fabaceae
Rosaseae
Brassicaceae
Lamiaceae
Solanaceae
Apiaceae
Asteraceae

Question 4

Ranunculaceae

Answer 4

Buttercup family

Distribution: worldwide

Majority are perennial herbaceous plants

Many are poisonous, some are used as medicinal or ornamental plants

Question 5

Ranunculaceae morphology

Answer 5

Leaves are generally palmately divided with serrated margins

Stipules are absent

Flowers are medium sized or large

Either hetero- and homoioclamydeus flowers

Actinomorphic (radial) and zygomorphic symmetry

Large numbers of stamens and carpels

Question 6

Typical compounds in ranunculaceae

Answer 6

Ranunculin
steroids glycosides
Diterpene alkaloids

Question 7

Euphorbiaceae

Answer 7

Spurge

Many cactus-like species in the tropics

In temperate zone, mainly annual or perennial herbaceous plants

Poisonous species of grasslands and hay

Species as ornamental plants

Question 8

Euphorbiaceae morhphology

Answer 8

Generally simple, undivided leaves

Milky sap (latex)

Flower = cyathium

Question 9

Cyathium

Answer 9

flower bracts + reduced female flower + nectar glands + groups of reduced male flowers

Question 10

Typical compounds of euphorbiaceae

Answer 10

Phorbol esters

Cyanogenic glycosides

Question 11

Euphorbiaceae species of economic importance

Answer 11

Rubber tree
Cassava
Castor bean

Question 12

Fabaceae

Answer 12

Pea family

Wooden or herbaceous species

Pulse crops, forage legumes, grassland species

Question 13

Typical compounds for fabaceae

Answer 13

quinolizidine and pyrimidine alkaloids
lectins
non-proteinogenic amino acids
isoflavonoids
cyanogenic glycosides

Question 14

Rosaceae

Answer 14

Rose family

Deciduous or evergreen trees, shrubs or perennial herbaceous species

Species in food industry: fresh fruits, jams, juices

Ornamental plants → poisonings

Medicinal plants

Question 15

Rosaceae Morphology

Answer 15

Simple or compound leaves, stipules are generally present

Pentamer, radial flowers (white, pink, red, rarely yellow colour)

Generally fleshy fruits (drupe, or accessory fruits)

Question 16

Typical compounds of rosaceae

Answer 16

cyanogenic glycosides

flavonoids

Question 17

Brassicaceae

Answer 17

Mustard family

Species distributed worldwide, but mainly in the temperate and Mediterranean region

Generally annual herbaceous plants

Fleshy forage plants

Species occur in arables, grasslands, and gardens as ornamental plants

Question 18

Brassicaceae morphology

Answer 18

Species produce a rosette of leaves

Leaves generally lyrate, divided, and the upper one are sessile

Bisymmetric flower

Always 4 sepals and 4 petals, cross-like arrangement

4 longer and 2 shorter stamens

Fruit is a silicle (length and width are similar) or a silique (length > width)

With many seeds

Question 19

Typical compounds for brassicaceae

Answer 19

Glucosinolates

Question 20

Importance of brassicaceae

Answer 20

many species are used as common vegetables (e.g. cabbage, radish, horseradish)

Question 21

Lamiaceae

Answer 21

Mint family

Species distributed worldwide

Mainly herbaceous species

Poisonous species are rare (with mild symptoms)

Economic importance (Teak wood)

Question 22

Lamiaceae Morphology

Answer 22

Angular, square-like stem, opposite leaf arrangement, generally undivided leaves

Species often has aromatic leaves

Epidermal hairs occurs commonly

Flowers = 3 fused petals (lower lip) + 2 fused petals (upper lip)

The dried calyx remains on the stem

2 longer and 2 shorter stamens

Question 23

Typical compounds of lamiaceae

Answer 23

Mainly terpenoid derivates (monoterpenoids, iridoids) in the volatile oil

Question 24

Importance of lamiaceae

Answer 24

Common medicinal plants and herbs (mint, basil…)

Question 25

Solanaceae

Answer 25

Nightshade family

Species distributed worldwide, but more abundant in the tropics

Mainly herbaceous species in the temperate zone

Europe → mainly weed, some species cultivated as vegetables or garden plants

Question 26

Solanaceae morphology

Answer 26

Leaves are highly variable (simple, compound, undivided, hairy, bare) there’s no specific morphology

Flower also variable, but generally 5 fused sepals and 5 petals (free or fused)

Fruit is a berry or a capsule

Question 27

Compounds of solanaceae

Answer 27

alkaloids (tropane, pyridine, diterpene)

Ergoline alkaloids → psychedelic effect

Question 28

Importance of solanaceae

Answer 28

Common vegetables (tomato, chili, eggplant…)

Fleshy forages (potato)

Economic importance (pharmaceutical industry, tobacco)

As ornamental planta (angel’s trumpet)

Question 29

Apiaceae

Answer 29

carrot family

Mainly herbaceous species

High volatile oil contetn

Species of natural habitats have generally medicinal or poisonous effects

Question 30

Apiaceae morphology

Answer 30

Stem is generally furrowed and hollow

A reddish-brown colorization is often possible

Multiply compound leaves with divided leaflets

Leaf base modified into leaf sheet

Generally leaves are aromatic

Flowers are small, white or yellow, pentamerous with inflexed petals

Inflorescence is generally a compound umbel

Specific bracts: involucres and involucels (presence/absence)

Schizocarp fruit

Question 31

Importance of apiaceae

Answer 31

Common vegetables

small forage importance

Question 32

Asteraceae

Answer 32

Daisy family

Mainly herbaceous or succulent species

Distributed worldwide, but species are rare in tropical rainforests

High volatile oil content

Species of natural habitats often has a medicinal effect

Poisonous species are rare

Question 33

Asteraceae morphology

Answer 33

Stipules are absent, leaves are simple and more or less divided – no specific morphology

Inflorescence is called head – with specific bract called phyllaries

Disc and ray flowers (see seminar 2)

If only ray flowers are present milky sap in the stem

Achenes (cypsela), with pappus

Question 34

typical compounds of asteraceae

Answer 34

Flavonoids, Terpenoids, specific fatty acids

Question 35

Importance of asteraceae

Answer 35

Crops → oilseed cake, vegetables (e.g.: lettuce, artichoke)