Stem Modifications
Underground stem modifications	Sub aerial stem modifications	Aerial stem modifications
i. Rhizome	i. Runner	i. Tendril
E.g. Ginger ( Zingiber officinale), turmeric	E.g. Oxalis	E.g. Passiflora, grapevine
ii. Tuber	ii. Sucker	ii. Thorn
E.g. Potato ( Solanum tuberosum ),	E.g. Mentha, Chrysanthemum	E.g. Duranta, Citrus
iii. Corm	iii. Stolon	iii. Phylloclade
E.g. Colocasia, Alocasia, Amorphophallus	E.g. Fragaria, Jasminum	E.g. Opuntia
iv. Bulb	iv. Offset	iv. Cladode
E.g. Onion ( Allium cepa ), Garlic ( Allium sativum )	E.g. Water hyacinth ( Eichhornia )	E.g. Asparagus, Ruscus
		v. Bulbil
		E.g. Dioscorea, Agave

Characteristics of flower	Symbols	Characteristics of flower	Symbols
Bracts		Calyx	K
Present (Bracteate)	Br	Polysepalous	K5
Absent (Ebracteate)	EBr	Gamosepalous	K(5)
Symmetry of the flower		Corolla	C
Actionomorphic	⊕	Polypetalous	C5
Zygomorphic	%	Gamopetalous	C(5)
Nature of the flower		Essential Whorls	K
Bisexual		Androecium	A
Unisexual		Stamens – free	A10
Male flower		United
Female flower		Monadelphous	A(10)
Non – essential whorls		Diadelphous	A(9) + 1
Perianth	P	Infinite	A∞
Tepals (Free)	P3	Epipetalous
Tepals (united)	P(3)	Gynoecium	G
		Carpels
		Apocarpous (free)	G5
		Syncarpous (united)	G(5)
		Ovary
		Hypogynous (superior)	G
		Epigynous (inferior)	G

Characteristics	Fabaceae	Solanaceae	Liliaceae	Cruciferae
General Description	The family is also termed as pea family. It is distributed all over the world.	Commonly known as potato family. It is distributed in tropics and subtropics.	Commonly called as lily family. It is a representative of monocots.	It is known as mustard family or Brassicaceae. Mainly distributed in tropics.
Plant structure	Tree, shrub, herb.	Herb, shrub and small trees.	Perennial herb.	Annual, biennial and perennial herbs.
Root structure	Root with root nodules.	Taproot system.	Root with underground bulb, corm and rhizomes.	Taproot, fusiform and napiform.
Stem structure	Erect or climber.	Herbaceous, rarely woody, hairy, hollow, underground (potato).	Stem may be underground partially.	Herbaceous stem with pungent watery fluid. Have stellate hairs.
Leaves	Alternate, pinnately compound or simple, venation reticulate.	Alternate, simple exstipulate, venation reticulate.	Mostly basal, alternate, linear, parallel venation.	Simple, alternate, rarely opposite, reticulate venation.
Inflorescence	Racemose	Solitary, axillary or cymose.	Solitary/cymose often umbellate clusters.	Raceme or corymb.
Flower	Bisexual, zygomorphic.	Bisexual, actionomorphic.	Bisexual, actionomorphic.	Bisexual, actionomorphic (may be zygomorphic).
Calyx	Five, gamosepalous, imbricate.	Five united, persistent, valvate.	6 tepals arranged in two whorls (3 + 3). Free or rarely united valvate.	Four, polysepalous in two whorls.
Corolla	Five, polypetalous, papilionacous.	Five united valvate.	–	Four, polypetalous cruciform.
Androecium	Ten, diadelphous, anther dithecous.	Stamens five, epipetalous.	Stamen 6 (3 + 3)	6 stamens arranged in two whorls.
Gynoecium	Ovary superior, monocarpellary, unilocular	Bicarpellary, syncarpous, superior.	Tricarpellary, syncarpous, superior.	Bicarpellary, syncarpous, superior.
Fruit	Legume	Berry or capsule.	Capsule, rarely berry.	Fruit siliqua or silicula.
Seed	One to many non – endospermic	Many, endospermous.	Endospermous.	Small, non – endospermic.
Floral Formula	% K(5) C1 + 2 + (2) A(9) + 1 G1	⊕ K(5) C(5) A5 G(2)	Br⊕ P3 + 3 A3 + 3 G(3)	⊕ K2 + 2 C4 A2 + 4 G(2)
Floral diagram