Characters and uses of Acanthaceae family
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Characters of acanthaceae
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Characters and uses of Acanthaceae family
- 2. Characters of Acanthaceae: Mostly herbs, shrubs; leaves opposite decussate, exstipulate, inflorescence cymose, flowers bracteate, bracteolate, zygomorphic, hermaphrodite, hypogynous; calyx five or 4 gamosepalous, corolla pentapartite, gamopetalous, often bilipped; stamens 4 to 2 didynamous, polyandrous, epipetalous; carpels two, syncarpous, ovary superior, axile placentation, style simple, stigma bilobed; fruit loculicidal capsule, seeds non- endospermic with jaculators.
- 3. A. Vegetative characters: Habit: Plants are mostly herbs, shrubs or a few climbers (Thunbergia)-, some xerophytes (Barleria, Blepharis, Acanthus), aquatic (Asteracantha longifolia). Root: Branched tap root system. Stem: Aerial, erect, underground (Ruellia tuberosa), herbaceous or woody, branched cylindrical, node swollen, climbing or twining (Thunbergia), spinous (Barleria). Leaves: Opposite decussate, simple, exstipulate, petiolate, usually entire, acute apex, hairy, cystoliths are present in the epidermal cells of stem and leaves.
- 4. B. Floral characters: Inflorescence: Solitary axillary (Thunbergia), spike (Blepharis) racemes, dichasial or monochasial cymes. Flower: Bracteate, bracteolate, bracts and bracteolates conspicuous, pedicellate or sessile, and brightly coloured, hermaphrodite, complete, zygomorphic, pentamerous, or tetramerous, hypogynous, nectariferous disc present below the ovary wall. Calyx: Sepals 4 or 5 gamosepalous, mostly bilabiate, hairy, imbricate, inferior. Corolla: Petals 2 to 5, bilipped, gamopetalous, variously coloured, imbricate or twisted, inferior.
- 5. Androecium: Generally 4, rarely 5 (Penstemon), in some 2 fertile stamens and 2 staminodes, epipetalous, filaments free, dithecous, dorsifixed, alternate with the corolla lobes, one anther lobe may be smaller than the other and unequally placed, anthers sometimes spurred. Gynoecium: Bicarpellary, syncarpous, superior, bilocular, axile placentation, carpels median, one or more ovules per loculus, style simple, stigma bilobed, disc present below the ovary. Fruit: Loculicidal capsule or rarely drupe. Seed: Non-endospermic with hooks (jaculators). Pollination: Entomophilous.
- 7. Distribution of Acanthaceae: It is commonly known as Acanthus family. It includes 250 genera and 2500 species. The family is chiefly distributed in tropics and sub-tropics. In India 508 species are present. Economic Importance of Acanthaceae: 1. Medicinal: Many plants of the family are medicinal. Adhatoda vasika and Barleria cristata are used in cough. Roots of Rhinanthus, Ruellia are also used in medicine. Roots of Ecbolium are used in jaundice. Andrographic paniculata is used for liver diseases. Fruits and leaves of Phlogacanthus thyrsiflorus are used for fever. Leaves of Phlogacanthus tubiflorus when rubbed in water yields lather which is used like soap for washing purposes. 2. Ornamental: Many plants are cultivated for ornamental purposes viz., Acanthus, Barleria, Justicia, Thunbergia, Jacobinia, Ruellia, are often used as hedge.
- 8. Primitive characters: 1. A few shrubs. 2. Leaves simple. 3. Flowers hermaphrodite, hypogynous. 4. Gynoecium superior. 5. Pollination by insects.