Ranunculaceae family floral formula , characters & importance

Ranunculaceae family

Diagnostic characters

1. I. Habits: Annual or perennial herbs

2. Roots: Tuberous root

3. Stem: Herbaceous stem, develops rhizome

4. Leaves: Petiolate. Alternate rarely opposite. simple or compound, exstipulate, reticulate venation.

5. Inflorescence: Cymose. sometiines raceme

6. Flower: Ped ic i I late. ebracteate. actinomorph ic, Regular.
   complete. hermaphrodite: hypogynous

7. Calyx: 5 sepals, free, imbricate, petaloid.

8. Corolla: 3-5 or more petals. Free. imbricate, sometimes petals may.be absent. Sometimes, petals are changed into nectaries.

9. Stamens: Stamens are numerous, free. spirally arranged, basitixed.

10. Carpel: . Numerous carpels. polycarpillary: ovary simple. apocarpous, one to several ovules in each ovary. placentation basal or marginal.

11. Fruits: An etaerio or achenes or follicles, sometimes berry or capsule.

12. Seed: Endospermic seed

Floral formula and floral diagram

Fig: Plant and flower of Ranunothts murieunts

Economic importance

1. I. Ornamental plants: Most plants are cultivated for their beautiful flowers like Buttercup etc.

2. Medicinal plants: Some members are used as medicinal plants. Aconitum yields an alkaloid aconitina. Thallicirom yields mamira. It is used in the treatment of ophthalmia.

3. Condiments: Some members are used as condiments. For example, seeds of Nigella It is also used as drugs.

4. Weeds: Some members are needs like R. antriccaus.

5. Importance of honey: Most members of this family have nectaries. F lic nectaries have great importance for honey bees.

6. Poisonous species: Some members of this family produce acrid juice. It is highly poisonous.

 Distribution pattern

It is a large family. It has 20 genera and 1200 species. It is mostly distributed in colder regions. Its members are vastly found in I limalayan region of Pakistan and India.

Important Species

   I. Ranunculus muricatus. Butter cup

2. Delphinium ajacis, Larkspur

3. Ranunculus muricatus (a weed)

4. Aconitum uncinatum (a wild herb)