Solanaceae
(Nightshade, Potato, or Tomato Family)
Habit
- herbs (shrubs, woody vines, or trees)
Leaves
-
alternate, usu.
simple (lobed to compound)
Inflorescence
-
cymose or flowers solitary
Flowers
-
perfect,
regular
Sepals
- 5
distinct or
connate
Petals
- 5
connate, often
rotate
Stamens
- 5,
filaments
adnate to
corolla,
anthers sometimes opening by
apical pores
Ovary
-
superior with 2 (3-5) fused
carpels, with 2 (3-5)
locules and
axile placentation
(or 1
locule and
parietal placentae);
style 1, undivided
Fruit
-
berry or
capsule
Diversity
- 85 genera / 2800 species
Distribution
- cosmopolitan but well represented in South America and Australia
Economics
- vegetable--potato (origins in Andes)
- fruits--tomato (Mexico/Peru), eggplant (India), bell peppers,
chile peppers, tomatillo (Central & South America)
- medicinal alkaloids--atropine, belladonna (used in cold remedys that have
antihistimines)
- hallucinogenic alkaloids--those in Datura (death)
- insecticidal alkaloids--nicotine (major ingredient in tobacco)
Notes
-
Images
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