Friends I am forwading a mail on this family by Dr. Satish Phadke on May 26, 2008. A very useful writeup.
-- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://www.gurcharanfamily.com/ http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ On Sun, Dec 2, 2012 at 5:10 PM, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]> wrote: > > > On Monday, May 26, 2008 10:13:47 AM UTC-7, Dr Phadke wrote: >> >> CARYOPHYLLACEAE >> ** >> >> In India this family consists of 20 genera and 105 species mostly in >> temperate regions. >> >> *Vegetative characters: * >> >> Mostly annual or perennial herbs and rarely under shrubs . *Stellaria >> aquatic*a is an aquatic herb. >> >> The root is usually a tap root and the stem is often swollen at nodes. >> >> The leaves are opposite or rarely alternate, simple, mostly linear to >> lanceolate and sessile. The two leaves at the stem are often connected >> basally around the stem. The stipules are usually absent. >> >> *Inflorescence and flowers: * >> >> The *Inflorescence* is typically dichasial cyme often terminating the >> main axis. A branch is formed in the axil of each bracteole of the main >> axis but one of the branches tends to outgrow the other and in the ultimate >> branching the weaker branch fails to develop. Thus the Inflorescence which >> is dichasial cyme in its initial branching pass into scorpioid cyme. This >> type of Inflorescence is very characteristic of the family and is known as >> cincinnus or caryophyllus type of Inflorescence. >> >> The *flowers* are hermaphrodite or rarely unisexual, actinomorphic, >> pentamerous and hypogynous or rarely slightly perigynous as in arenaria. >> >> The *calyx* is usually five basally connate sepals . >> >> The *corolla* has as many petals as the sepals. The *petals* are free >> and are usually differentiated into a limb and a claw. The *stamens* are >> usually twice the number of petals in two equal and alternate whorls. They >> show obdiplostemonous condition. The filaments are distinct or slightly >> connate at the base. >> >> The *gynoecium* is of two or three to five fused carpels.the ovary is >> superior or slightly inferior and unilocular with free central >> placentation. >> >> A disc is present at the base of the stamens which is annular or divided >> into glands. >> >> The *fruit* is membranous or crustaceous capsule opening by valves or >> apical teeth. >> >> The *seeds* are endospermic with more or less curved embryo. >> >> *Pollination* is by insects. >> >> The seeds are dispersed by water, wind or by adhesion or by birds, >> animals and human agency. >> >> *Examples*: >> >> The family is valuable for its large colourful ornamental flowers which >> are easily grown. >> >> Dianthus species are cultivated for very showy flowers. >> >> *Dianthus caryophylus. (Carnation)* >> >> *Dianthus plumarius* >> >> *Dianthus latifolius* >> >> *Dianthus barbatus* >> >> *Vaccaria pyramidata* >> >> *Silene * >> >> *Lychnis* >> >> *Gypsofila* >> >> *Cerastium* >> >> *Arenaria* >> >> *Stellaria media; S.vestita* >> >> *Spergula arvensis* >> SATISFIED >> http://satishphadke.blogspot.**com/<http://satishphadke.blogspot.com/> > > -- > > > > --
