SOLANACEAE - NIGHTSHADE FAMILY
Scientific Description:
Herbs, shrubs or small trees, with internal phloem. Leaves simple to pinnate, exstipulate, alternate or upper opposite. Flowers solitary and axillary or in inflorescences, hermaphrodite, actinomorphic or rarely slightly zygomorphic (Hyoscyamus L.). Calyx (3−)5-lobed or dentate, persistent, often accrescent in fruit. Corolla rotate, campanulate or infundibular, 5-lobed, lobes folded, contorted or imbricate. Stamens 5(−4), adnate to corolla tube and alternating with lobes. Ovary superior, normally oblique and 2-carpellate, rarely 4-locular due to secondary septa (Datura L.), septum rarely degenerating and fruit unilocular (Mandragora L.). Fruit a berry or a circumscissile or septicidal capsule. Seeds numerous.
Reference:
Davis PH (1978). Solanaceae, In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 6: 437.
Public Description:
Solanaceae, known as “nightshade family”,has a worldwide distribution in all the continents except Antarctica. The greatest diversity is found in South America and Central America. This family includes important agricultural crops, medicinal plants, spices, weeds, and ornamentals. Potato (Solanum tuberosumL.), tomato (Solanum lycopersicumL.), pepper (Capsicum annuumL.) and egg plant (Solanum melongenaL.) are primary food species. Many other species produce alkaloids, are used in pharmacology and medicine (Nicotiana L., Hyoscyamus L.,and DaturaL.). There are several poisonous species, including Deadly Nightshade (Atropa belladonnaL.), Henbane (Hyoscyamus nigerL.) and Thorn Apple (Datura stramoniumL.), and the family also contains the important economic plant, Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacumL.), which contains the highly toxic alkaloid “nicotine”.
References:
Anonymous 1 (2016)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanaceae /,Accessed date: 06.11.2016.
Anonymous 2 (2016) http://theseedsite.co.uk/solanaceae.html/,Accessed date: 06.11.2016.
