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The below mentioned article provides an overview on Family – Chenopodiaceae. After reading this article you will learn about: 1. Explanation on Family – Chenopodiaceae 2. Economic Importance of Family – Chenopodiaceae.
Explanation on Family – Chenopodiaceae:
There are 102 genera and about 1400 species in this family.
Distribution:
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The plants of this family are cosmopolitan in their distribution, i.e., they are found throughout the world. The plants are particularly found in xerophytic and halophytic areas. They are mostly found in the Prairies, North America, Mediterranean coasts, Red sea coasts, Australia and central Asia.
In our country the family is represented by several important genera, such as, Chenopodium, Beta, Spinacia, Kochia, Suaeda, Salsola, etc.
Habit:
Usually the plants are annual or biennial herbs but sometimes the shrubs are also found. The small trees are very rare. Haloxylon is a small tree which reaches a height of 20 feet Salsola kali is known as salt wort and grows near the sea shores. The species of Salicornia grow in marshy places.
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Root:
Tap and branched.
Stem:
The stem is usually erect, herbaceous, branched, cylindrical solid hairy and green.
Leaves:
The leaves are simple and alternate. In Salicornia, Nitrophila, etc., the leaves are opposite. In many cases the leaves are minute, fleshy and covered with hairs, e.g., Salicornia, Suaeda, etc.
Inflorescence:
Cymose, dichasial cyme.
Flowers:
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The flowers are minute, greenish in colour and arranged in dense cymose Inflorescence. Hermaphrodite or unisexual. The plants may be monoecious (e.g., Sarcobatus) or dioecious (e.g., Grayia). They are bracteate, actinomorphic and hypogynous.
Perianth:
Usually consists of 5 perianth leaves (tepals), sepaloid. Sometimes there are 3 or 4 perianth leaves, e.g., Salicornia or only 2, e.g., Atriplex. The perianth leaves may be free or united. Usually the perianth leaves remain persistent in the fruit. Sometimes the male flowers are devoid of perianth leaves. The aestivation is imbricate.
Androecium:
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Five stamens, usually the number of stamens corresponds to the number of perianth leaves. The stamens are usually situated opposite the tepals. The number of stamens varies from species to species and sometimes even from plant to plant of the same species, e.g., Chenopodium. They are hypogynous or situated on a disc. The anthers are bicelled and dehisce longitudinally.
Gynoecium:
2 or 3 carpels, syncarpous. The ovary is superior. However, in Beta the ovary is inferior or half inferior. It is unilocular with a single basal campylotropous ovule.
Fruit:
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A nut or achene enclosed in the perianth.
Seeds:
The seeds are albuminous with a curved or twisted embryo.
Pollination:
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The pollination takes place through the agency of insects.
1. Beta vulgaris Linn.; Verna. Chukandar; Eng. Beet root:
Beta vulgaris is cosmopolitan in distribution. The roots and leaves are used as vegetable. In European countries the roots are used as main source for the manufacture of sugar.
Habit:
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Annual or biennial herbs.
Root:
Tap and branched; swollen, possessing dark-red juice.
Stem:
Herbaceous, erect, branched, solid, cylindrical, pubescent, purplish green.
Leaves:
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Cauline and ramal, alternate, exstipulate, simple, petiolate, entire, elliptic lanceolate, unicostate, reticulate, coriaceous.
Inflorescence:
Cymose, condensed cyme.
Flower:
Bracteate, sessile, complete, actinomorphic, hermaphrodite, pentamerous, peri or epigynous.
Perianth:
Tepals 5, polyphyllous, sepaloid; imbricate aestivation.
Androecium:
5 stamens; antetepalous, situated on a disc; anthers dithecous, introrse, dehiscing longitudinally.
Gynoecium:
3 carpels (tricarpellary), syncarpous; ovary half-inferior or inferior; unilocular with a single basal campylotropous ovuIe.
Fruit:
A nut or achene enclosed in the perianth.
Seeds:
Albuminous with a curved embryo.
2. Chenopodium album Linn.; Eng. Pigweed, lambs-quarters; Verna. Bathua:
Habit:
An annual herb.
Root:
Tap and branched.
Stem:
Erect, aerial, herbaceous, branched, angular, solid, hairy, reddish green or green.
Leaf:
Cauline and ramal, exstipulate, petiolate, alternate, simple, elliptic-lanceolate, coriaceous, unicostate reticulate.
Economic value:
Beet root is used in vegetable salad. Refreshing juice is extracted. Sugar is manufactured from juice in European countries. The seeds are cooling and diaphoretic. Leaves are applied to burns and bruises. Beet greens contain more iron and are richer in vitamins, particularly vitamin A.
Inflorescence:
Cymose, condensed cyme.
Flower:
Bracteate, sessile, actinomorphic, hermaphrodite, complete, pentamerous, hypogynous, cyclic.
Perianth:
5 tepals, polytepalous, quincuncial aestivation, sepaloid.
Androecium:
5 stemens, polyandrous, anteposed, filament long, ditliecous, basifixed introrse.
Economic value:
The tender twigs are used as vegetable and fodder. The plant is laxative and anthelmintic.
Gynoecium:
2 carpels (bicarpeilary), syncarpous, ovary superior, unilocular, single basal ovule, style short, stigma bifid.
Fruit:
Utricle.
Economic Importance of Family – Chenopodiaceae:
The family consists of a few plants of economic importance. Most of them are used as vegetable.
1. Atriplex hortensis (Verna.-Chakwat)-The branches and leaves are used as vegetable.
2. Beta vulgaris (Eng.-Beet root; Verna.-Chuliandar)-A biennial herb, the roots and leaves are used as vegetable.
3. Beta vulgaris var. bengalensis (Eng.-Beet root; Verna-Chukandar)-The leaves are eaten as vegetable.
4. Beta vulgaris var. rapa (Eng.-Sugar beet)-The roots are used for the manufacture of sugar.
5. Chenopodium album (Eng.-Pigweed; Verna.-Bathua)-A herb. The leaves and tender twigs are used as vegetable and fodder.
6. Chenopodium ambrosioides var. anthelminticum-W is used as an anthelmintic, particularly effective in the expulsion of hookworms.
7. Chenopodium murale. (Verna.-Khartua)-It is used as a fodder.
8. Kochia indica (Verna.-Bui)-A herb. It is used as fodder.
9. Kochia scoparia (Eng.-summer-cypress)-Grown as an ornamental.
10. Salsola baryosma (Verna.-Loonuk)-A herb, used as fodder.
11. Salsola kali (Eng.-glass wort; Verna.-Buti)-The leaves are used as vegetable.
12. Suaeda fruticosa; Syn. Chenopodium fruticosum (Verna.-Lunak)-An undershrub, used as fodder.
