Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Poaceae – Angiosperm Families

Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Poaceae – Angiosperm Families

May 19, 2023, 16:45 IST

Asteraceae, Brassicaceae and Poaceae are the three main families in the Angiosperm kingdom. Angiosperm is the largest and most distinct group in plantae, which can bear flowers. There are over 350,000 species in angiosperm but only 400 families are present. Angiosperms dominate all the main terrestrial areas of vegetation and also grow in aquatic habitats. Some of the highlighted families of Angiosperm are Asteraceae, Brassicaceae and Poaceae. In this article, you will get to know a lot about the families of Angiosperm.

Asteraceae  Introduction

Angiosperms are also known as flowering plants. In angiosperms, the ovule gets fertilised and develops as a seed within the hollow ovary, generally enclosed in a flower. It contains male and female reproductive organs and some have both of them. With more than 1,620 genera and 23,600 species of herbaceous plants, shrubs, and trees the aster family (Asteraceae) forms approximately 10% of the flowering plant and is one of the largest angiosperm families, distributed throughout the world. Poaceae, which includes more than 10,000 species, is one of the largest families of flowering plants. Poaceae is the most abundant and important part of the world’s flora. Brassicaceae, which includes 338 genera and about 3,700 species of flowering plants, is the family of mustards.

Asteraceae

It is also called Compositae, the aster, composite or daisy family of the flowering-plant order asterals. Family members have florets which are flower heads composed of many small flowers. Florets are surrounded by leaflike structures known as bracts. Florets of bell-shaped disk form the centre of each head. Florets of strap-shaped rays extend out like petals from the centre and are sometimes bent back. According to Paleobotanists, the first members of this family are believed to have evolved in Argentina some 50 million years ago, based on the discovery of well-preserved fossils that date to the Eocene Epoch

Features of Asteraceae

The features of the Asteraceae family are mentioned below:

• Asteraceae are mostly xerophytes, semi-aquatic and hydrophytes.
• The Asteraceae family contains herbs, trees and shrubs.
• The taproots get modified into tubers in this family.
• The stem usually contains latex and can be erect, hairy and woody.
• The leaf arrangement of this family around the steam can be opposite, alternate, or, less commonly, whorled.
• Flowers are unisexual or bisexual, tubular or ligulate.
• The filament in flower is free with the anthers united.
• Androceium is absent in the astracea.
• Gynoecium may or may not be present in the flower.
• The seed of this family is endospermic.
• The cypsela is the produced fruit

Importance of Asteraceae in the Industry

The Asteraceae family has economic importance. The different ways it can be used are as follows:

• The Asteraceae family is a significant source of food as some of the plants of this family have edible parts such as leaves and roots For example, lettuce.
• The Asteraceae family is also a good source of oil from seeds for example Sunflower
• Asteraceae have a wide range of medicinal uses. some of the plants of the Asteraceae family are used to cure bowel disorders and have a great cooling effect.
• The juices and roots of Asteraceae plants are very beneficial in some diseases.
• Rubber is produced by Taraxacum and Solidago Leavenworth.
• The dried powder of Chrysanthemum roseum’s capitulos is used as an insecticide in the industry.

Brassicaceae

It was earlier known as Cruiciferae. They are a very important family of flowering plants economically and are of medium size. They are also known as mustards or the cabbage family. A few examples of Brassicaceae are Red and green cabbage, broccoli, and collards.

Features of Brassicaceae

The features of the Brassicaceae family are as follows:

• The taproots in plants of the brassica family are swollen because of food storage.
• Herbs, shrubs, annuals and biennials are included in this family.
• In brassicas, the stems are generally herbaceous, erect and rarely woody.
• Leaves in Brassicaceae are opposite, alternate, exstipulate, simple and peppery flavoured.

Importance of Brassicaceae in Industry

Brassicaceae has various uses in the industry. They are as follows:

• Mustard oil which is widely used for cooking in Indian households is produced by the seeds of plants of the Brassicaceae family
• The Brassicaceae family’s plants are also widely used as medicines.
• The shoots and roots of plants are very effective against cough, asthma and piles.
• In the treatment of bronchitis and fever, seeds of its plants are used apart from all this the flowers are very helpful to treat impotence and paralysis.
• Flower jewellery is made of the flowers of Alyssum, Hesperis, and Iberis amara plants as these plants bear very beautiful flowers.
• Many plants of the genus Brassica which includes cabbage, broccoli, Brussels, turnip, Brussels sprouts etc are of great economic value.

Poaceae

The Poaceae family is also known as Gramineae. belongs to the grass family of monocotyledonous flowering plants, a division of the order poales.It is the world’s single most important source of food. They are the most abundant and important family of the Earth’s flora. They grow on all continents including deserts, freshwater and marine habitats. They are found at all the highest elevations. The Poaceae family includes bamboo, cane, lawn grass etc.

Features of Poaceae

The features of the Poaceae family are as follows:

• Poaceae are generally shrubs, herbs, annuals or perennials but sometimes they are tree-like.
• The roots are mostly fibrous, adventitious, stilt or branched.
• In Poaceae, the stem is underground as in rhizomes, woody or herbaceous.
• The leaves of Poaceae are alternate, distichous, exstipulate and simple.
• The seeds of this family are endospermic and monocotyledonous.
• The Poaceae family’s fruit generally includes nuts, berries or caryopsis.

Importance of Poaceae in the Industry

The plants of the Poaceae family are used in various ways in the industry. The uses are as follows:

• Saccharum officinarum is used to make sugar and jaggery.
• For making building materials Bambusa is used.
• Scented oil is made by using the roots of aromatic plants of the Poaceae family.
• Many medicinal values and the ability to cure various diseases can be done by plants such as Phragmites karka and Cymbopogon schoenanthus.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. How are some of the angiosperm families great contributors to the oil industry?

Ans. One of the major sources of oil is the seeds of plants in the angiosperm family Mustard is extracted from the Brassicaceae family plant and is widely used in the production of oil which is used in Indian households for cooking. Carthamus from the Asteraceae family is also used in oil production.

Q2. How food chain is been contributed by the Angiosperm body?

Ans. Plant-eating animals consume non-reproductive organs, such as stems and leaves and a lot of insects and other invertebrates are also dependent on shoots for food during all or part of their life histories.

Q3. What are a few examples of Poaceae?

Ans. The examples and major sources of food in India from the Poaceae family are Wheat, cultivated rice, corn, barley etc.

Q4. What is the biological name, family, phylum and order of wheat?

Ans. The biological name of wheat is Triticum Aestivum, Genus is Triticum, the Family is Poaceae, Order is Poales, the Class is Monocotyledonae and the phylum is Angiospermae.

Q5. What is the main difference between Angiosperm and Gymnosperm?

Ans. Gymnosperm is a seed-bearing vascular plant that does not enclose its seed in fruit, on the other hand, Angiosperm encloses its seed in some type of fruit.

Q6. Are the plants of the Pocacea family used in oil production?

Ans. No, plants from the Poaceae family are seen as the most important source of food and they are not used in oil production.