Caryophyllaceae: Characters and Affinity | Dicotyledons | Botany

In this article we will discuss about:- 1. General Characters of Caryophyllaceae 2. Floral Formula of Caryophyllaceae 3. Number and Distribution 4. Range of Floral Structure 5. Common Plants 6. Affinity and Economic Importance.   

General Characters of Caryophyllaceae:

Plants—annual or perennial herbs with swollen nodes. Leaves— usually opposite, simple, linear to lanceolate, slightly amplexicaul, usually estipulate (excepting Spergula). Inflorescence-cymose (dichasium or dichotomous cyme). Flowers—regular, usually bisexual hypogynous or perigynous. Sepals – 4-5, free or united, imbricate, persistent. Petals – 4-5 often clawed, free.

Stamens—8 or 10, in two whorls, or fewer, apparently obdiplostemonous. Carpels—(5), often fewer with 2-5 styles free or united below; ovary superior, usually 1-celled with numerous ovules on the free central placentae. Fruit—usually a capsule, breaking into valves equal to or double the number of styles. Seeds—more or less flattened, albuminous, usually with a curved embryo (but straight in Dianthus).

Floral Formula of Caryophyllaceae:

Number and Distribution of Caryophyllaceae:

This family consists of about 80 genera and 2,100 species which are mostly found in the temperate regions of the Northern Hemis­phere and in the mountains of the tropics.

Range of Floral Structure in Caryophyllaceae: 

The flowers are typically pentamerous with formula;

But deviation from the normal plant of flowers occurs either by elaboration or reduction.

This family has been divided into 2 subfamilies:

(a) Alsinoideae, where the flower is simpler or reduced type, and

(b) Silenoideae, where the flower is highly elaborated, characterized by the tubular development of the members of the calyx.

Subfamily 1. Alsinoideae:

Sepals and petals are simple in form or absent, styles free or connate. In Spergula arvensis, the flower is simple with white petals, 2 whorls of stamens, and 5 carpels. Sagina also resembles Spergula in floral structure but the parts are found often in 4. In Sagina apetala L. the petals are very much reduced or totally absent.

The petals are notched in Cerastium and Stellaria. In Stellaria the flower is usually pentamerous, rarely tetramerous. In Polycarpon, the flower is reduced, the petals are sometimes absent and the sta­mens also are reduced in number; the styles are connate below it. In Lyallia, the flower is apetalous and the number of stamens is 3.

Subfamily 2. Silenoideae:

The sepals are connate into a tube. The petals are found often coloured and distinguished into a claw and a limb. An outgrowth or ligule is found sometimes on the throat of the corolla-tube or at the junction of the claw and limb.

This sort of structure (ligule) is also present in Dianthus, Silene and Lychnis, but it is obliterated in the genera, like Githago and Gypsophila. The flower has pentamerous arrangement with 2 whorls of stamens. The styles are free. The number of carpels is 5 in Lychnis, 3 in Silene, and 2 in Dianthus and Saponaria.

Common Plants of Caryophyllaceae:

(1) Pink (Dianthus chinensis L.), Carnation (D. caryophyllus L.) and Sweet-William (D. barbatus L.) are common season flowers.

(2) Cow cockle (Saponaria vaccaria L.), a common herb.

(3) Chick- weed (Stellaria media L.), a common weed of gardens in cold weather.

(4) Polycarpon loefliangiae Benth. & Hk. f., used as a vegetable.

(5) Gypsophila elegans L. and Baby’s breath (G. paniculata L.) are common season flowers.

(6) Lychnis (maltese cross) and Silene (catchfly) are handsome garden plants.

(7) Spergula arvensis L. and Drymaria cordata Willd. are common weeds found in Darjeeling, Shillong and other hilly places.

(8) Polycarpaea corymbosa Lamk. is a decumbent herb found on the river banks.

Affinity and Economic Importance of Caryophyllaceae:

This family is allied to Phytolaccaceae from which it has origi­nated by conversion of the outer stamen-whorl to petals and of the outer carpel-whorl to stamens. This view was expressed by Eichler and accepted by Pax, Wettstein and Rendle. Wernham is of opinion that this family was evolved from Ranalian ancestors and Primulaceae might have arisen from Caryophyllaceae.

This family is also allied to reduced families, such as Chenopodiaceae and Ama­ranthaceae, a view has been accepted by Bessey, Hutchinson and others. It is also related to Geraniaceae according to Dickson. This family is related to Portulacaceae but distinguished by the form of inflorescence and 2-5 free-styled flowers. It is readily distin­guished from others by opposite amplexicaul leaves, 2-5-carpelled unilocular ovary with free central placentation and capsule fruit.

Economic Importance of Caryophyllaceae:

This family is of some economic importance. Some plants are used as fodder, such as, Spergula arvensis. The roots of Saponaria produce ‘saponin’ which gives lather when rubbed with water. Polycarpon and Gypsophila are used as vegetables. A large number of plants are useful for ornamental purposes, such as, Gypsophila, Silene, Lychnis, Cerastium, Dianthus, etc.