List of Dicotyledons | Botany

Geraniaceae:

Plants—annual herbs, often with fleshy stems. Leaves—alternate rarely opposite, compound but sometimes simple, usually palmiveined, stipulate. Inflorescence—cymose. Flowers—regular, sometimes slightly irregular (e.g., Pelargonium), bisexual, hypogynous. Sepals— usually 5, (4 in Vivania) imbricate.

Petals—usually 5, with nectar glands alternating with them, imbricate. Stamens—usually 10 in 2 series, obdiplostemonous, rarely 15; filaments united at the base. Carpels —(3-5); ovary superior, beaked, 3-5-celled with 1 or 2 ovules in each; style 3-5, slender. Fruit—capsule, dehiscing septicidally into 3-5 one-seeded beaked portions (loculicidal in Vivania). Seeds—exalbuminous with a straight or curved embryo.

This family consists of 11 genera and about 850 species which are widely distributed in the temperate zone and in the hills and in subtropical regions.

Common plants of geraniaceae include:

(1) Geranium ocellatum Camb., a small straggling herb producing rose-coloured flowers with a purple ‘eye’, commonly found on the hills.

(2) G. nepalense Sw., a common herb found in Darjeeling.

(3) Pelargonium sp., a garden plant, producing beautiful flowers.

This family bears relationship with the members of Malvales in one hand in tendency of union of stamens and with Rutaceae on the other hand in obdiplostemony. It differs from Rutaceae in the absence of disc and oil-glands. Geraniaceae is characterized by the typically 5-merous flowers, obdiplostemonous stamens, septicidal dehiscence of the capsular fruit into 3-5 one-seeded beaked portions and exalbuminous seed.

This family is of little economic importance. Pelargonium odoratissimum Ait. yields a kind of scented oil or otto. Species of Geranium, Pelargonium and Erodium are ornamentals.

Caesalpinieae:

Leaves—usually paripinnate or bipinnate. Flowers—in panicles, slightly irregular (but not papilionaceous), posterior petal smallest and innermost. Petals—5, imbricate in aestivation. Stamens—5 + 5, or less (due to abortion), free. Embryo—straight.

Common plants of caesalpinieae include:

(1) Indian laburnum (Cassia fistula L.), a medium sized tree.

(2) C. occidentalis L., C. sophera L. and C. tora L. are shrubs or under­-shrubs, commonly found in waste places.

(3) Gold mohur tree (Poinciana regia Boj, = Delonix regia Raf.), often planted on roadsides and produces cream-yellow flowers just before the rainy season.

(4) Peacock flower (Caesalpinia pulcherrima Swartz.), also planted on roadsides and produces crimson flowers.

(5) Tamarind (Tama­rindus indica L.), a tall tree often planted for fruit.

(6) Fever nut (Caesalpinia bonducella Fleming = C. crista L.), a hook climber.

(7) The Ashoka tree (Saraca indica L.), often planted on roadsides and in gardens and has medicinal importance.

(8) Camel’s foot plants (Bauhinia acuminata L., B. variegata L., B. purpurea L.), small trees or woody climbers with emarginate leaves.

(9) Peltophorum ferrugineum Benth. = P. pterocarpum Backer and P. inerme are trees with beauti­ful yellow flowers blossoming on the advent of summer, planted commonly in parks and along roadsides.

(10) Parkinsonia aculeata L., a large shrub.

(11) Hardwickia pinnata Roxb. = Kingiodendron pinnata Harms., a small tree.

This subfamily is allied to Anacardiaceae but readily distin­guished by having single carpel.

The plants of this subfamily usually have purgative but non-poisonous properties. The tamarind is the most important plant. Saraca is of medicinal importance. Bauhinia yields good fibres. Haematoxylon yields haemotoxylin, a kind of stain for microscopical work.

Oxalidaceae:

Plants—perennial herbs, sometimes trees (e.g., Averrhoa). Leaves —alternate, usually pinnately or palmately compound, exstipulate. Inflorescence—cymose. Flowers—regular, bisexual, hypogynous. Sepals—5, imbricate. Petals—5, twisted.

Stamens—10 in 2 series, obdiplostemonous, united at the base (shortly monadelphous). Carpels— (5); ovary superior, 5-celled with 1-many anatropous ovules in each; style 5, free. Fruit—capsule, dehiscing along the dorsal suture, or berry (e.g., Averrhoa). Seeds—sometimes arillate, albuminous with a straight embryo.

This family consists of 7 genera and about 1,000 species which are chiefly distributed in the tropics.

Common plants of oxalidaceae include:

(1) Wood-sorrel (Oxalis corniculata L.), a weed very common on roadsides and especially on cultivated lands.

(2) Biophytum sensitivum DC., another common weed with sensitive leaves, chiefly found on cultivated lands.

(3) Carambola (Averrhoa carambula L.), a tree com­monly planted for its fruits.

(4) The Bilimbi (A. bilimbi L.), a small cultivated tree.

This family is allied to Geraniaceae but readily distinguished by the palmately compound leaves, shortly monadelphous stamens, 5 free styles, 5-celled ovary, mode of dehiscence of fruit and arillate seeds.

This family is of little economic importance. The gooseberry-like fruits of Carambola (Averrhoa) are edible. Many species of Oxalis have medicinal value. A few species are ornamental.

Meliaceae:

Plants—trees or shrubs. Leaves—alternate, pinnately compound, ex-stipulate. Inflorescence—cymose panicle. Flowers—regular, bi-sexual, hypogynous, usually with an annular disc between stamens and petals. Sepals—(4-5), small, imbricate. Petals—4-5, twisted or imbricate, distinct or adnate to the staminal tube and then valvate.  

Stamens—8-10 in 2 whorls, mostly monadelphous (but free in Cedrela, and Chloroxylon), sometimes are converted into staminodes; filaments usually united, rarely free; anthers often sessile, inserted in the tube. Carpels—(2-5); ovary superior, often 2-5-celled with mostly 2, rarely more (12 in Swietenia), ovules in each cell; stigma often disciform or capitate. Fruit—capsule or berry, rarely drupe. Seeds—with or without endosperm, often winged.  

This family consists of 50 genera and about 800 species, widely distributed in the tropics.

Common plants of meliaceae include:

(1) Neem or Margosa tree (Melia azadirachta L. = Azadirachta indica A. Juss.), commonly found throughout India, possesses bitter taste in leaves and bark.

(2) Persian lilac or Chinaberry tree (Melia azedarach L.), larger than the former one, cultivated.

(3) Mahogany tree (Swietenia mahogoni L.), a valuable timber tree; S. microphylla and S. macrophylla are commonly planted on roadsides.

(4) Satin-wood (Chloroxylon swietenia DC), another valuable timber tree.

(5) Moulmein cedar on Toon wood (Cedrela toona Roxb.), a tall timber tree.

(6) Amoora cucullata Roxb, and A. rohituka W. & A. = Aphanamixis polystachya Parker, commonly planted on roadsides.

(7) Aglaia roxburghiana Miq.

(8) Carapa obovata Bl., a small tree with large round fruit, chiefly found in the Sundarbans.

(9) Cipadessa fruticosa B1., a much-branched shrub.

This family is allied to Rutaceae and Sapindaceae but readily distinguished from them by the monadelphous stamen, deciform or capitate stigma, and winged seeds. It is distinguished from Burseraceae by the absence of resin ducts.

This family is of some economic importance. Melia is a medicinal plant. Many are valuable timber trees, e.g., Swietenia, Chloroxylon and Cedrela.

Linaceae:

Plants—usually annual herbs, sometimes shrubs. Leaves—alter­nate rarely opposite, simple, entire, stipulate or exstipulate. Inflorescence— usually cymose (a dichasial cyme). Flowers—pentamerous, regular, bisexual, hypogynous. Sepals—5, free or slightly united at the base, imbricate.

Petals—5, often clawed, twisted. Stamens—5 or 10, the fertile stamens equal to the number of petals and antisepalous; filaments united at the base forming a ring, outside which nectar glands are present. Carpel—usually (5), antipetalous; ovary superior, us­ually 5-celled with 2 pendulous and anatropous ovules in the inner angle of each cell; styles free. Fruit—capsule. Seed—with fleshy endosperm and a straight embryo.

This family consists of 9 genera and about 200 species which are chiefly distributed in the temperate zone.

Common plants of linaceae include:

(1) The Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.), commonly cultivated during the winter for the sake of oil and fibre.

(2) Reinwardita, a common garden ornamental.

This family is closely related to Geraniaceae and Malvaceae but readily distinguished from them by the pentamerous flowers, clawed petals with twisted aestivation, short connate filaments and septicidally dehiscent capsule.

This family is economically important. Linum usitatissimum yields a kind of fibre which is used for preparing linen cloth, and also a kind of oil (linseed oil). A few species of Linum and Reinwardita are orna­mentals.

Tropaeolaceae:

Plants—mostly prostrate succulent herbs. Leaves—alternate, simple, peltate, sometimes lobed, exstipulate. Flowers—irregular, bisexual, hypogynous. Sepals—5, petaloid, the dorsal one prolonged into a spur. Petals—5, clawed, the upper 2 petals differ in shape from the lower 3 (usually smaller and situated in the opening of the spur), imbricate.

Stamens—8 in 2 whorls, unequal. Carpels—(3); ovary superior, 3-celled with 1 pendulous anatropous ovule in each; style 1; stigma 3-fid, linear. Fruit—a 3-seeded schizocarp. Seeds—exalbuminous with a straight embryo.

This family consists of 1 genus, Tropaeolum with about 60 species which are chiefly found on the hills.

Common plant of tropaeolaceae include – Garden Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.), a common garden plant.

This family is characterized by the peltate leaves, petaloid spurred sepal, 8 stamens in 2 whorls, 3 carpels, and the nature of the fruit.

This family is of very little economics importance. Tropaeolum is an ornamental plant.

Vitaceae:

Plants—mostly climbing shrubs with tendrils, or small trees, with swollen nodes. Leaves—alternate, often digitately or pinnately 3-9-foliate, rarely simple, stipulate or ex-stipulate. Inflorescence—leaf-opposed spikes, racemes, panicles or cymes. Flowers—small, greenish, regular, bisexual (sometimes unisexual), hypogynous or slightly perigynous, with prominent intrastaminal annular or lobed disc.

Sepals— 4-5, free or united at the base, apparently absent. Petals—4-5, valvate, caducous. Stamens—4-5, antipetalous, free arising from the base of the disc but in Leea joined at the base to form a tube, which is united to the corolla.

Carpels—usually (2), sometimes (3-8) as in Leea; ovary superior, 2-celled (e.g., Vitis) or 3-6-celled (e.g., Leea), usually with 1-2 ovules in each cell; stigma capitate or discoid. Fruit—berry. Seeds—with a strong or bony coating, and with copious oily endosperm and a small straight embryo.

This family consists of 11 genera and about 600 species which are chiefly found in the tropical and subtropical regions.

Common plants of vitaceae include:

(1) Vitis quadrangularis Wall. = Cissus quadrangularis L., a common climber with square stems.

(2) Vitis pedata Vahl. = Cayratia pedata Gagnep., and Vitis setosa Wall. = Cissus setosa Roxb., commonly found in villages and have medicinal value.

(3) Vitis trifolia L. = Cayratia carnosa Gagnep., very common.

(4) Grape-vine (Vitis vinifera L.).

(5) Leea macrophylla Roxb., an erect herb without tendrils, chiefly found along Siliguri Road to Sukna.

(6) Leea aequata L., a shrub 4-10 ft. high.

(7) L. herbacea Ham., another shrub 12-16 ft. high.  

This family bears an affinity with Rhamnaceae and members of Celastrales in the plan of floral structures, but is readily distin­guished by the climbing habit, berried fruit, leaf-opposed inflores­cence, antipetalous stamens, capitate or discoid stigma, and seeds with copious endosperm and small embryo. This family is considered to have; been derived from Rutaceae by the suppression of anti-sepalous whorl of stamens.

This family is economically important. Vitis vinifera yields edible fruits from which raisins and a sort of wine are obtained. Vitis quadrangularis, V. pedata and V. setosa are medicinal plants. Some plants are ornamentals, such as Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), Virginia creeper (P. quinquefolia), etc.

Balsaminaceae:

Plants—annual terrestrial herbs, sometimes aquatic (e.g., Hydrocera), with succulent stems. Leaves—alternate, opposite or whorled, simple, serrate, ex-stipulate. Flowers—irregular, bisexual, hypogynous. Sepals—5, petaloid, the posterior one is very large and spurred, imbricate. Petals—5, the anterior one is the largest.

Stamens—5; filaments short and broad; anthers united covering the pistil like a hood. Carpels—(5); ovary superior, oblong, 5_:celled with a row of pendu­lous anatropous ovules in each cell, stigma sessile, often 5-toothed. Fruit —capsule, dehisces elastically into 5 valves. Seeds—exalbuminous with a straight embryo.

This family consists of 2 genera, Impatiens and Hydrocera, and about 450 species which are commonly distributed on the hills.

Common plants of balsaminaceae include:

(1) Balsam (Impatiens balsamina L.), a herb commonly planted in gardens.

(2) I. roylei is very common in the Himalayas.

(3) Hydro­cera triflora W. & A., an annual aquatic weed rooting at the nodes.  

Balsaminaceae is distinguished from its allied families by the presence of a spurred sepal, union of anthers round the pistil, and elastic dehiscence of capsular fruit.

This family is of very little economic importance. Different species of Impatiens are planted in gardens as ornamentals.

Rhamnaceae:

Plants—small trees or shrubs, sometimes climbing, often spiny. Leaves—alternate, simple, usually palmately veined, stipulate. Inflo­rescence—axillary corymb or cymose. Flowers—small, greenish, regular, bisexual (rarely unisexual), perigynous with prominent disc. Sepals—5, rarely 4, valvate.

Petals—5, rarely 4, inserted on the edge of the fleshy disc lining the calyx-tube, usually clawed and hooded. Stamens—as many as petals, antipetalous, often hidden within the concave petals, inserted on the edge of the fleshy disc lining the calyx-tube.

Carpels—(3); ovary superior but appears to be inferior, 3-celled with 1 erect basal ovule in each cell; stigma 5-lobed. Fruit— drupe, berry-like or capsule, rarely samaroid. Seeds—exalbuminous or albuminous with large and straight embryo.

This family consists of 45 genera with 550 species, which are found in the tropical and subtropical regions.

Common plants of rhamnaceae include:

(1) The Jujube tree (Zizyphus jujuba Lamk. = Z. mauratiana Lamk.), a small tree generally cultivated for its edible fruits.

(2) Z. oenoplia Mill., a straggling shrub, commonly found in hedges.

(3) Ventilago maderaspatana Gaertn., a strong climber.

(4) Gouania leptostachya DC., another strong climber.

(5) Helinus lanceolatus Brand., a scandent cirrhose shrub.

This family is closely related to Vitaceae, as it is evident from almost similar floral structures. It also bears affinity with Celastraceae, the main distinction is the antipetalous stamens. It differs from Vitaceae in having simple leaves and in the structure of the receptacle. Rhamnaceae is readily distinguished by the simple unlobed leaves, perigynous flowers, antipetalous stamens and basal ovules.

This family contains some ornamental plants, such as, Rhamnus, Ceanothus, Zizyphus, Hovenia spyridum, etc. Zizyphus jujuba yields edible and tasty fruits. A pugative, cascara sagrada, is obtained from the Californian species, known as Rhamnus purshiana DC. Rhamnus infectoria L. and R. chlorophora Decene are dye-yielding plants. The wood of R. frangula yields a kind of fine charcoal for making cheap gun­powder.

Tiliaceae:

Plants—generally trees or shrubs, sometimes herbs (e.g., Corchorus) with mucilage. Leaves—alternate, simple, entire or toothed, often oblique, stipulate. Inflorescence—typically cymose. Flowers— regular, bisexual (rarely unisexual), hypogynous. Sepals—5, free or united at the base, caducous, valvate.

Petals—5, or fewer or 0, free, imbricate or valvate. Stamens—10-numerous, free or slightly united at the base or in 5-10 bundles (polyadelphous), usually inserted at the base of the petals, but sometimes raised above the corolla by the develop­ment of an internode (androgynophore), as in Grewia, intrastaminal disc present; anthers 2-celled.

Carpels—(2-5); ovary superior, 2-10-celled with 1-many ascending or pendulous ovules; style 1; stigmas as many as the locules. Fruit—fleshy (drupaceous) or dry (capsule), indehiscent or dehiscent. Seed—albuminous with a curved embryo and leafy cotyledons.

This family consists of 41 genera and about 400 species which are chiefly found in the tropics.

Common plants of tiliaceae include:

(1) Jute (Corchorus capsularis L. and C. olitorius L.).

(2) Corchorus acutangulus Lamk.= C. aestuans L., a common weed of waste places, the leaves of which have medicinal value.

(3) Grewia asiatica L.= G. subinaequalis DC., a commonly planted fruit tree.

(4) Spiny cock-lebur (Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq. = T. bartramia L.), a common weed with hooked spines on fruit.

(5) Bead-tree (Elaeocarpus ganitrus Roxb. = E. sphaericus K. Schum.), the seeds of which are ornamented and strung together into beads.

(6) E. floribundus Bl., commonly found in North Bengal.

(7) Brownlowia lanceolata Benth., commonly found in Sundribans.

(8) Muntingia callabura L., a common garden plant.

(9) Berrya ammonilla Roxb., a timber tree.  

This family is allied to Malvaceae and Steruliaceae but readily distinguished by the free or polyadelphous stamens, 2-celled anthers, presence of a disc, and typically cymose inflorescence.

Tiliaceae is economically important. The plants of this family generally possess mucilaginous juice and fibrous bark. The most important plants are Corchorus capsularis and C. olitorius which yield fibres. Grewia yields edible fruits.

The seeds of Elaeocarpus are strung into beads. Berrya ammonila and Tilia cordata are timber-yielding plants. The leaves of Corchorus acutangulus have medicinal property. Species of Grewia, Corchoropsis, Entelea, Muntingia, etc., are ornamentals. 

Bombacaceae:

Plants—tall trees, often with very thick base and spreading branches. Leaves—alternate, usually palmately compound (digi­tate), stipulate. Flowers—large and showy, regular, bisexual, hypogynous, bracteate, sometimes subtended by an epicalyx (e.g., Adansonia). Sepals—5, free or slightly united at the base, valvate.

Petals—5, sometimes 0, twisted. Stamens—5-numerous, free or polyadelphous (e.g., Bombax); staminodes often present; anthers 1-celled; pollen grains smooth. Carpels—(2-5); ovary superior, 2-5-celled with 2 or more erect anatropous ovules in each cell; style 1, capitate or lobed; stigmas 1-5. Fruit—capsule or berry-like. Seeds—smooth, occasionally arillate, with or without endosperm, often embedded in the pith-like tissue or in a woolly outgrowth of the pericarp.

This family consists of 22 genera and 140 species which exclusively distributed in the tropics.

Common plants of bombacaceae include:

(1) Red silk-cotton tree (Bombax malabaricum DC. = Salmalia malabarica Schott.), a huge tree with buttressed trunk which yields stuffing-cotton.

(2) White silk-cotton tree (Eriodendron anfractuosum DC. = Ceiba pentandra Kurz.), a tall tree which yields ‘kapok’ of commerce.

(3) The Baobab tree (Adansonia digitata L.), a thick based spreading tree.

This family is allied to other families under the order Malvales but is readily distinguished by the smooth pollen grains, presence of many staminodes and the pericarp of the fruit (pithy to woolly).

This family is economically important. Red silk-cotton tree (Bombox) yields cotton for stuffing pillows. White silk-cotton tree (Eriodendron) yields the ‘kapok’ of commerce. Durio zebethinus Murr. yields edible fruits. Ochroma lagopus Sw. yields very light and soft wood. The Baobab tree (Adansonia), Bombax, the Brazillian floss-silk- tree (Chorisia), the guinea chestnut (Pachira), etc., are ornamentals.

Dipterocarpaceae:

Plants—usually huge trees with copious resinous juice. Leaves— alternate, simple, entire, coriaceous, stellately pubescent, stipulate (convolute stipules). Inflorescence—raceme or panicle. Flowers—regular, bisexual, hypogynous pentamerous. Sepals—5, united at the base forming 5 lobes, imbricate, persistent (in Dipterocarpus only two calyx-lobes grow out into wings, but in Shorea all five develop into wings).

Petals—5, free, twisted. Stamens—numerous or less, free or slightly polyadelphous; connective often prolonged. Carpels—(3); ovary superior, 3-celled with 2 pendulous ovules in each. Fruit—samara, enclosed in the persistent sepals. Seed—exalbuminous, with straight or curved embryo.

This family consists of 16 genera and 300 species which are commonly found in the tropics.

Common plants of dipterocarpaceae include:

(1) Sal tree (Shorea robusta Gaertn.), a huge timber tree.

(2) Garjan balsam (Dipterocarpus turbinatus Gaertn.), a gigantic tree commonly found in Bangladesh (Chittagong and Tipperah).

(3) Isauxis lancaefolia King, found in Chittagong.

(4) Vatica scaphula Dyer., commonly occurring in Chittagong, can also be found in the Indian Botanic Garden.

(5) Hopea odorata Roxb., a tall tree.

This family resembles Guttiferae in possessing resin. It is also allied to Magnoliaceae by the presence of large convolute stipules but readily distinguished by the enlarged persistent calyx.

This family is somewhat economically important. Shorea yields timber of great value and a resin, known as dumar resin, much used as an incense. Dipterocarpus yields a liquid balsam or resin known as Garjan-oil. Dryobalanops aromatica Gaertn, yields yellow camphor. The seeds of Vatica, Vateria and Doona are edible. Isauxis produces a kind of scented oil. Vateria indica yields a gum-resin used for making varnish.

Passifloraceae:

Plants—mostly climbing herbs, sometimes shrubs. Leaves—alter­nate, simple or compound, generally lobed, stipulate. Inflorescence— solitary or cymose. Flowers—regular, bisexual (unisexual in Modecca), bracteate with prominent receptacle. Sepals—usually 5, free or united at the base, persistent, imbricate. Petals—usually 5, often smaller than sepals, free, imbricate, with corona.

Stamens—5, origi­nally free but become uplifted by androphore; anthers 1-celled. Carpels —(3-5); ovary superior, often raised on a gynophore, 1-celled with many anatropous ovules on parietal placentae; styles 3-5, free or united at the base, each bears a capitate stigma. Fruit—berry or cap­sule. Seeds—arillate with perisperm. Embryo—straight.

This family consists of 12 genera and about 600 species which are chiefly found in the tropics.

Common plants of passifloraceae include:

(1) Passion-flower (Passiflora foetida L., P. suberosa L., P. lunata L.).

(2) Modecca cordifolia Bl. and M. palmata Lam., very common.

This family is closely allied to Cucurbitaceae from which it is readily distinguished by stipulate leaves, bisexual flowers with corona, gynandrophore, superior ovary and arillate seeds.

This family is domestically im­portant for ornamentals, and for the production of edible fruits (e.g., Passiflora edulis, P. ligularis, etc.).

Guttiferae (Clusiaceae):

Plants—trees or shrubs with yellowish or greenish resin. Leaves —usually opposite or whorled, simple, entire, coriaceous, ex-stipulate. Inflorescence—cymose. Flowers—regular, usually bisexual (rarely unisexual), hypogynous. Sepals—2-6, or more, imbricate. Petals— 4-12, imbricate. Stamens—few or numerous, free or more or less united into several bundles (polyadelphous).

Carpels—usually (3 or 5), sometimes more or fewer (2-1); ovary superior, generally 1-many- celled, with 1 to numerous anatropous ovules in each cell; styles equal to the number of carpels or chambers, and united. Fruit— drupe or capsule. Seed—exalbuminous with large straight embryo.

This family consists of about 35 genera and 400 species which are chiefly tropical.

Common Plants of Guttiferae (Clusiaceae):

(1) Cowa tree (Garcinia cowa Roxb.).

(2) G. xanthochymus Hook. f.

(3) Mangostene (G. mangostena L.), often planted in gardens for its delicious aril.

(4) Alexandrian laurel (Calophyllum inophyllum L.), often grown in gardens as an avenue tree.

(5) Mesua ferrea L., often planted in gardens for its flagrant flowers.

This family bears close affinity with Theaceae and Dipterocarpa­ceae. It is distinguished from the former by the absence of oil glands and from the latter by the absence of alternate stipulate leaves. From the study of floral morphology of various genera with special reference to 4-merous arrangement of the perianth members, its relationship may be suggested with the members of the Parietales.

This family is of little economic importance. The sweet-scented flowers of Mesua ferrea are used in perfumery and in medicine. The wood of Garcinia and Calophyllum brasiliense Camb. are timber-yielding plants. The seeds of Allanbackia stahlmanni yield oil.

Gamboge, the yellow pigment of commerce, is obtained from Garcinia morella Desr. Garcinia mangostena yields highly delicious fruits. Some plants are also cultivated as ornamentals, such as, Garcinia, Mesua, Calophyllum, etc.

Violaceae:

Plants—annual or perennial herbs. Leaves—usually alternate, simple, sometimes lobed,   stipulate. Inflorescence—solitary (e.g., Viola) or terminal spike with bracts and bracteoles. Flowers— irregular or regular, bisexual, hypogynous, sometimes cleistogamous.  

Sepals—5, uniform in size or prolonged at the base (e.g., Viola), persistent, imbricate. Petals—5, of which the lowermost one largest and spurred or saccate, imbricate or twisted. Stamens—5, with short filaments, introrse; the connective of anterior pair of anthers often spurred at the base in irregular flowers or otherwise appendaged in regular flowers, forming a cone round the ovary.

Carpels—(3-5); ovary superior, 1-celled with 1-many anatropous ovules on 3 parietal placentae; style 1, terminal; stigma variable in shape. Fruit—3-chambered capsule, splitt­ing elastically and loculicidally into 3 boat-shaped valves. Seed—ovoid or sub-globose, albuminous with straight embryo.

This family consists of about 16 genera and 850 species, widely distributed in temperate and tropical regions but chiefly in the warmer parts of the globe.

Common plants of violaceae include:

(1) Pansy (Viola tricolor L.) and

(2) Sweet violet (Viola odorata L.) are common garden plants.

(3) Ionidium sufruticosum Cing. = Hybanthus sufruticosa, a common small branching perennial.

This family is distinguished from the allied families by the pentamerous flowers, stamens basally united and introrse, spurred corolla, and 3-chambered capsule fruit. This family is of very little economic importance. The leaves of Rinorea sp. are used as vegetables. Leonia glycecarpa yields edible fruits. Different species of Viola (V. odorata, V. tricolor, etc.) are ornamentals.