Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae Week: Introduction
Gurcharan Singh
Dear friends
The families Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae have traditionally been treated as distinct families, but have been merged under a single family Amaranthaceae in recent editions of APG classifiation, our reason for considering in single episode. I am providing information concerning both separately.
Chenopodiaceae Ventenat Goosefoot family
97 genera, 1,305 species
Widely distributed in temperate and tropical climates but common in arid and semiarid saline habitats, with around 97 genera and 1300 speces
Major genera: Atriplex (300 species), Salsola, (120), Chemnopodium (105), Suaeda (100) and Salicornia (35).
Descriptiomn: Herbs or small shrubs, rarely small trees (Haloxylon), usually in saline habitats, sometimes succulent (Salicornia), often covered with whitish bloom, nodes unilacunar, vascular bundles in concentric rings, included phloem usually present, sieve-tube plastids PIII-C type, containing betalains instead of anthocyanins, cuticle waxes with platelets. Leaves minute to large, alternate, rarely opposite (Salicornia, Nitrophila), petiolate to sessile, simple, entire or variously lobed, sometimes fleshy or reduced to scales, stipules absent. Inflorescence cymose, spikes or panicles, sometimes catkins. Flowers small, greenish, bisexual, rarely unisexual and plants dioecious (Grayia) or monoecious, actinomorphic, hypogynous. Perianth (represented by sepals petals absent) with 2-5 united tepals, rarely free (Salsola), herbaceous, usually persistent and accrescent in fruit, and appendaged with tubercles, spines or wings, sometimes absent. Androecium with 5 stamens, rarely 3, opposite the perianth lobes, filaments free, anthers inflexed in bud, bithecous, dehiscence longitudinal, pollen grains multiporate, spinulose. Gynoecium with 2 carpels, united, rarely carpels upto 5, ovary superior, unilocular, ovule 1, placentation basal, styles 2
(rarely upto 5). Fruit a nut or utricle (when enclosed in membranous perianth); seed lens shaped with curved or spiral embryo,
endosperm absent, perisperm present.
Economic importance: The family includes a few food plants such as beet (Beta vulgaris: used as leafy vegetable {often confused with spinach}; root vegetable mainly for salad and a source of sugar), spinach (Spinacea oleracea) and lambs quarters (Chenopodium album; bathoo in Hindi). Chenopodium ambrosioides is source of wormseed used as a vermifuge. Seeds and leaves of C. quinoa are eaten by Peruvians and Andes
Amaranthaceae M. Adanson Amaranth family
72 genera, 1,020 species
Cosmopolitan, mainly tropical, centred in Africa and America with about 72 genera and 1020 species
Salient features: Herbs or small shrubs, stipules absent, flowers small often greenish, subtended by scarious or papery bracts,
perianth papery, stamens opposite perianth lobes, slightly connate at base, staminodes present, carpels 2-3, ovary superior, fruit a
capsule or utricle or nutlet, enclosed in persistent perianth, embryo curved.
Major genera: Gomphrena (120 species), Alternanthera (100), Iresine (80), Amaranthus (60) and Celosia (55).
Description: Herbs or small shrubs, very rarely climbing, often with swollen nodes, nodes unilacunar, vascular bundles in concentric rings, included phloem usually present, sieve-tube plastids PIII-A type, containing betalains instead of anthocyanins.
Leaves alternate or opposite, herbaceous, sometimes aggregated at base (Ptilotus), petiolate to sessile, simple, entire, stipules absent. Inflorescence cymose, spikes or panicles, with conspicuous persistent bracts and bracteoles. Flowers small, greenish, bisexual (rarely unisexual), actinomorphic, hypogynous, cyclic. Perianth (represented by sepals petals absent) with 3-5 free or united tepals, usually persistent, sometimes accrescent (Ptilotus) in fruit, usually dry and scarious. Androecium with 5 stamens,
rarely 3 or even 6-10, opposite the tepals, filaments slightly connate at base, often adnate to tepals, anthers inflexed in bud,
bithecous (Amaranthus) or monothecous (Gomphrena), dehiscence longitudinal, pollen grains multiporate, spinulose, staminodes
often present, usually 1-3. Gynoecium with 2-3 united carpels, ovary superior, unilocular, ovule usually 1, placentation basal,
rarely many (Celosia), styles 1-3. Fruit a circumscissile capsule, or nut or utricle (when enclosed in membranous perianth);
seed lens shaped with curved or spiral embryo, endosperm absent, perisperm present.
Economic importance: The family includes several ornamentals such as Celosia (Cockscomb), Amaranthus (amaranth),
Gomphrena (globe amaranth) and Iresine (bloodleaf). Species of Alternanthera and Tilanthera are grown as edge plants and have
ornamental leaves. Seeds and leaves of several species of Amaranthus are edible, as are also the leaves of Alternanthera sessilis.
163 genera are recognized by The Plant List which treats them together under one family:
http://www.theplantlist.org/browse/A/Amaranthaceae/
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089
J.M. Garg
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J.M.Garg
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Dinesh Valke
Balkar Singh
Regards
Dr Balkar Singh
Head, Deptt. of Botany and Biotechnology &
Arya P G College, Panipat
Haryana-132103
09416262964
Nidhan Singh
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Regards,
Dr. Nidhan Singh
Department of Botany
I.B. (PG) College
Panipat-132103 Haryana
Ph.: 09416371227
Satish Phadke
After reading your information I would have loved the name of the week as
Amaranthaceae and Chenopodiaceae Week rather than
Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae Week.
Anyway Nice start of the week indeed.
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Gurcharan Singh
SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007
Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018.
Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089