Many thanks Gurcharan ji for surfacing the write-up of Caryophyllaceae by Satish (Phadke) ji. Many thanks to him too. Found some information very useful - regarding which members are found in India. Regards. Dinesh
On Mon, Dec 3, 2012 at 6:56 AM, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]> wrote: > 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/> >> >> -- >> >> >> >> > > > > -- > > > > --
