Lab 6 - Euasterids II: Apiaceae

APIACEAE (UMBELLIFERAE) - Carrot, Parsley or Umbel Family
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A compound leaf from this family.

A labeled diagram showing the many structures present in this family. Compound umbel is the characteristic inflorescence of this family. Note: involucre and involucel are absent from the above species/picture.

Involucre of bracts (leafy structures under compound umbels) and involucel of bracts (leafy structures under simple umbels) are quite distinct in Ammi visnaga. *correction made: under simple umbel instead of compound umbellets (which is wrong); as pointed out by Yee Sing

A flower of Apiaceae showing 5 stamens and 5 petals (the curled up structures). The two segments of the stylopodium are found within the petals. You may be able to make out the 2 segments.

A cross section through an ovary reveals two locules. The two carpels have fallen out out from their attachment in the axile placentation.

The characteristic fruit type of Apiaceae: a Schizocarp. *each oval structure is a mericarp. *only one carpophore is showing, the other branch of the 'Y' is hidden behind this one. *the inside face of the 2 mericarps is the commissure.

Some of the other species that were on display:

Heracleum sp. (right), Lomatium sp.(left)

Angelica archangelica (Angelica)

And of course the carrots!

Lab 6 - Euasterids I: Boraginaceae & Solanaceae

BORAGINACEAE - Borage Family

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The flowers from Borago officinale are showing the characteristic inflorescence of this family, helicoid cyme. Also notice how hairy the stems and leaves are? This is very common in the Borage family.

A flower from the above plant. It has five sepals, petals as well as five stamens. The petals are fused, and we coined it with the term "sympetalous corolla".

Longitudinal section through one of the flowers. The ovary has two carpels and each carpel divides into two lobes i.e. 1 ovary = 2 carpels = 4 lobes. When the ovary ripens, there will be 4 nutlets (the fruit type in this family).

A ripened ovary showing 4 nutlets.

A close up of one nutlet. In the key (step 3) it asks about the rim at the base of the nutlet. The above is an example of a thickened rim.

SOLANACEAE - Nightshade Family

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This family has many important crops including tomato, potato, and tobacco. The above is a pepper plant (Capsicum sp.).

A Petunia sp. flower, note how well the petals are fused together.

A longitudinal section through the flower. Note the floral tube that encloses the stamens and pistil.

Another characteristic within the family is the glandular trichomes which may produces alkaloids to deter herbivory. This leaf also has prickles (extensions of cortex and epidermis) to further discourage eating of it.
Thank you to Yee Sing for the photo!
  

A Solanum sp. flower with connivent anthers (stuck together but not fused).

The fruit type in Solanaceae can be either capsule or berry. Tomatoes and bell peppers are both examples of berries.

 The throne apple (Datura sp.) has some developing capsules.

Cross section of a tomato, what kind of placentation does it have?

 A single Solanum sp. stamen. The poricidal dehiscences are the two longitudinal slits - the yellow coloured pollens and anthers makes them a little difficult to see.

Clicking on the picture will enlarge it.

Lab 5 - Euasterids I: Plantaginaceae & Scroophulariaceae

SCROPHULARIOID FAMILIES:

PLANTAGINACEAE - Snapdragon family
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 Flowers of Linaria sp.

The flowers are strongly zygomorphic and is spurred at the base.

The pointy end of the flower is its spur.

Peeling back the corolla reveals the stamens and pistils.

Cross section through the ovary shows 2 carpels and an axile placentation; much like a tomato.

Capsules are the characteristic fruit type in this family.

Within the capsules are many of these seeds.

Inflorescences of Hebe sp (Veronica sp.?) flowers.

They are only slightly zygomorphic...supposedly, the to uppermost petal is larger than the other ones.

Plantago sp. fruiting tops.



SCROPHULARIACEAE - Figwort Family
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Some of the species from this family.
From left to right: Scrophularia sp., Phygelius capensis (cape fuchsia), Buddleja sp. (butterfly bush), Rehmannia sp. (Chinese foxglove)

Penstemon spp.

Lab 5 - Euasterids I: Lamiaceae

LAMIACEAE - Mint Family

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Coleus sp. has the characteristic square stems of the mint family.

Flowers from the genus Salvia. Note their zygomorphic symmetry - it will be more apparent in the following picture.

Looking into the throat of the corolla.

A longitudinal section of the flower. Note the unusually long connective. The connective, in most plants, is the small bit of tissue that joins the pollen sacs.

Also look at the stigma; it splits into 2 which translates to 2 carpels in the ovary.

A flower from Coleus sp. Check out the four stamens: there is a short pair and a long pair. This stamen arrangement is called "didynamous" (as oppose to the tetradynamous arrangement we saw last week.)

The anther of Salvia sp. has a single pollen sac. The curving purple structure that runs all the way to the pollen sac is the connective.

Longitudinal section through the lower part of Salvia sp. exposes two of its four nutlets. Each pair of nutlets is formed from one deeply divided carpel.

Lab 4 - Basal Asterids: Ericaceae

ERICACEAE - Heath Family

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  One member of the Ericaeae is Gaultheria shallon (Salal) - the shrub that covers much of the understory within Pacific Spirit Park.

An inflorescence of Arbutus flowers. The urn-shaped "urceolate" flower is character shared by many members of Ericaceae.

Each individual has 5 fused sepals...

and 5 corolla lobes. The fruit type is actually a capsule that is enclosed in fleshy calyx? (I was sure it's the corolla that turns fleshy and not calyx...)

Transverse section through one of the flowers. The stamens are not attached to the corolla (not epipetalous).

A fruit (berry-like drupe) from an Arbutus branch.

Fruits of Gaultheria procumbens (Wintergreen).

The cross section through the above fruit.