Biology 200: Chapter 24 Flowering Plants

Practice flashcards covering the origins, morphological traits, and economic importance of major flowering plant families as described in the lecture notes.

How does modern data relate to the historical use of plants for medicinal purposes?

Some historical use of plants to treat disease has been supported by modern data, though it can be difficult to distinguish fact from fiction.

Which crops originated in the Near-eastern region (Mediterranean and northern Europe)?

Barley, wheat, peas, lentils, asparagus, beets, carrots, turnips, olives, cherries, plums, apricots, apples, onions, garlic, broccoli, lettuce, flax, and pistachios.

What plants are native to the Chinese region?

Bamboo, peach, walnut, ginger, gourds, camphor, tea, soybean, buckwheat, horseradish, and cucumber.

Which cultivated plants originated on the African continent, specifically Ethiopia and West Africa?

Yams, sorghum, okra, sweet melons, coffee, and some cotton.

Which plants are attributed to the South Asia and Pacific Islands region?

Sugar cane, eggplant, mango, banana, citrus, safflower, nutmeg, clove, cardamon, turmeric, black pepper, coconut, taro, rice, sesame, and onion.

What are the primary cultivated plants that originated in North America?

Sunflower, cranberry, blueberry, and tobacco.

Which cultivated plants originated in South and Central America?

Garden beans, corn, peanut, white potato, lima beans, cashew, pineapple, avocado, red pepper, tomato, cotton, cocaine, cacao, sweet potato, pumpkin, squash, rubber, vanilla, and cassava.

Why are fruit and flower structures considered more important than leaves in plant classification?

They are more reliable indicators of heredity than leaves or vegetative parts.

What are common morphological characteristics of the Buttercup Family (Ranunculaceae)?

Nearly all $1\text{,}500$ species are herbaceous, with varying petal numbers, numerous stamens, and several to many pistils with superior ovaries.

What is a notable feature of Columbine petals?

It has five spurred petals that resemble a circle of doves.

What substance is yielded by Monkshood (wolfsbane), and what was it used for?

It yields aconite, a drug once used to treat rheumatism and neuralgia.

How many species belong to the Laurel Family (Lauraceae), and what is their typical form?

There are about $1\text{,}000$ species of tropical evergreen shrubs and trees.

What is unique about the anthers in the Laurel Family?

The anthers open by flaps that lift up.

From what part of the plant is cinnamon derived?

The pulverized bark of a small tree in the Lauraceae family.

What are the uses of camphor?

It is used in cold remedies and insecticides.

What are the defining characteristics of the Poppy Family (Papaveraceae)?

They are herbs of temperate and subtropical regions with numerous stamens, a single pistil, and milky or colored sap.

What do all species in the Poppy Family produce?

Alkaloidal drugs.

What drugs are derived from the opium poppy?

Morphine, codeine, heroin, papaverine, and noscapine.

What is the characteristic petal arrangement of the Mustard Family (Brassicaceae)?

Four flower petals are arranged in a cross.

What is the stamen arrangement in the Mustard Family?

There are six stamens: $2$ short and $4$ long.

What types of fruits are produced by members of the Mustard Family?

Siliques or silicles.

What are the morphological features of the Rose Family (Rosaceae) flowers?

Flowers have basal parts fused into a cup, with petals, sepals, and numerous stamens attached to the cup’s rim.

Which 'stone fruits' belong to the Rose Family?

Cherries, apricots, peaches, and plums.

What are rose 'hips,' and what vitamin are they known for?

They are the fruits of roses and are a source of Vitamin C.

Where does the Legume Family (Fabaceae) rank in size among flowering plants?

It is the third largest flowering plant family with $13\text{,}000$ species.

What is unique about the stamens in the Legume Family?

They are fused into a tube around the ovary.

What is the fruit type for the family Fabaceae?

The fruit is a legume.

What is a staple food in tropical regions that belongs to the Spurge Family (Euphorbiaceae)?

Cassava.

How is crude rubber obtained from the Para rubber tree?

From the latex of the inner bark.

What is a cyathium in the Spurge Family?

It is an inflorescence where a female flower is elevated on a gynophore and surrounded by male flowers consisting of an anther.

What are the physical characteristics of the Cactus Family (Cactaceae)?

They have fleshy stems and leaves reduced in size, often appearing as spines.

Into what does the inferior ovary of a cactus flower develop?

A berry.

What combination of traits is unique to the Mint Family (Lamiaceae)?

Angular stems that are square in cross section, opposite leaves, and bilaterally symmetrical flowers.

Into what does the four-parted superior ovary of a mint plant develop?

Four nutlets.

What are some culinary herbs belonging to the Mint Family?

Rosemary, thyme, sage, oregano, marjoram, basil, lavender, peppemint, and spearmint.

What characterizes the flowers of the Nightshade Family (Solanaceae)?

They have fused petals with stamens fused to the corolla.

What drug is derived from the belladonna complex for shock treatment and pain relief?

Atropine.

What is scopolamine used as?

A tranquilizer.

What substance from red peppers serves as a gastric stimulant?

Capsicum.

What are the vegetative characteristics of the Carrot Family (Apiaceae)?

Savory-aromatic herbs with dissected leaves and petiole bases that form sheaths around the stem.

How are the flowers arranged in the Carrot Family?

In small, numerous groups called umbels.

Which poisonous member of the Carrot Family is believed to have killed Socrates?

Water hemlock.

What are the characteristics of the Pumpkin Family (Cucurbitaceae)?

They are $700$ species of prostrate or climbing herbaceous vines with unisexual flowers.

What is the structure of the female flower in the Pumpkin Family?

It has an inferior ovary of $3$ carpels.

Where does the Sunflower Family (Asteraceae) rank in size?

It is the second largest flowering plant family with over $23\text{,}000$ species.

What are 'florets' in the Sunflower Family?

Individual flowers arranged in a compact inflorescence that resembles a single flower.

How are flowers in the Grass Family (Poaceae) pollinated?

They are wind-pollinated.

What are the specialized structures for protection and pollination in Poaceae flowers?

Flowers are protected in boat-shaped bracts, and the stigmas are exposed and feathery.

What is the process for producing table sugar from sugar cane?

Juice is squeezed from the cane, then centrifuged to crystallize solids; the dark remnant is molasses.

What are the flower characteristics of the Lily Family (Liliaceae)?

Flowers are often large, parts are in multiples of $3$, and sepals and petals often resemble each other.

What was the bulb of the California Soaproot used for?

Soap.

How large is the Orchid Family (Orchidaceae)?

It is a very large family with more than $35\text{,}000$ species.

What is the 'column' in an orchid flower?

A single structure formed by the union of the stamens and pistil.

What are pollinia?

Sacs of pollen contained within the anthers of orchids.

What is required for an orchid seed to germinate?

It must become associated with a specific mycorrhizal fungus.