The below mentioned article provides an overview on Family Caesalpiniaceae. After reading this article you will learn about: 1. Explanation on Family-Caesalpiniaceae 2. Economic Importance of Family Caesalpiniaceae.
Explanation on Family-Caesalpiniaceae:
There are about 135 genera in the family Caesalpiniaceae.
Distribution:
Most of the members belonging to this family are tropical and sub-tropical in distribution. In India the family is represented by many genera, e.g., Cassia, Bauhinia, Tamarindus, Saraca, Poinciana, Parkinsonia, Caesalpinia, etc.
Habit:
The plants show great variations in their habit, they may be trees or shrubs and very rarely herbs. Mostly they are mesophytes, but xerophytes (e.g., Parkinsonia) are also reported. Most of them are wild, but many are cultivated for their beautiful flowers and timber. Some plants are woody climbers. (e.g., Bauhinia sp.).
Root:
Tap and branched.
Stem:
Erect, woody, cylindrical, solid, branched, sometimes herbaceous or climbing. In many species tannin sacs and gum passages are found.
Leaves:
The leaves may be simple or compound. If compound they may be pinnate or bi- pinnate. Usually the pinnate leaves are arranged in pairs; petiolate, pulvinus present at the base of the petiole; the pinna ovate or obovate, glabrous, net veined, entire. Usually exstipulate, sometimes minute caducous stipules present.
Inflorescence:
Usually racemose, raceme, sometimes pendulous.
Flower:
Pedicellate, zygomorphic rarely actionomorphic, hermaphrodite, hypogynous, complete, variously coloured, showy, large or small.
Calyx:
Five sepals, free or fused, often petaloid, aestivation imbricate or valvate.
Corolla:
Five petals, polypetalous(free); ascending imbricate aestivation, i.e., the posterior petal innermost in bud; inferior, spathulate, showy.
Androecium:
Stamens usually ten, free, rarely connate, but, sometimes reduced to staminodes or altogether abortive. In Cassia 3 to 5 stamens reduced to staminodes, in Tamarindus sp. 3 stamens are well developed, while rest are reduced into staminodes.
Gynoecium:
Carpel one (monocarpellary); ovary superior, unilocular; marginal placentation; style long; stigma simple.
Fruit:
Pod or lomentum, sessile or stalked, dehiscent or indehiscent.
Seed:
Exalbuminous.
Pollination:
Eniomophilous.
Floral Formula:
1. Cassia tora Linn:
Verna. Pamaar, Chakunda; Eng. Sickle senna.
Habit:
A medium sized tree or shrub.
Root:
Tap, branched.
Stem:
Erect, aerial, woody, branched, cylinderical, glabrous, solid.
Leaves:
Cauline and ramal, compound, alternate, paripinnate, pulvinus at the base, petiolate, stipulate (stipules caducous), leaflets 4-8 pairs, ovate, entire, acute, glabrous, venation unicostate reticulate.
Inflorescence:
Racemose, typical raceme.
Flower:
Pedicellate (long pedicels), bracteate (bracts minute and caducous) or ebracteate, hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, complete, hypogynous, yellow, pentamerous, cyclic.
Calyx:
Five sepals, polysepalous, more or less petaloid (yellowish green), inferior, quincunicial aestivation, odd sepals anterior.
Corolla:
Five petals, polypetalous, yellow, clawed, ascending imbricate aestivation, inferior.
Androecium:
Ten stamens, polyandrous, unequal in length, three posterior stamens reduced to staminodes, basifixed anthers with abortive and indehiscent lobes, dithecous, introrse.
Gynoecium:
One carpel (monocarpellary), ovary superior, unilocular, marginal placentation, style short, stigma terminal, hairy.
Fruit:
A legume, black when ripe.
Floral formula:
Economic value:
The seeds are used in the preparation of sweets and the tender young leaves are used as vegetable. Decoction of leaves is laxative. Leaves and seeds are used in skin diseases, for ringworm and itch. Root is used in snake-bite.
Cassia fistula;
Verna-Amaltas.
Habit:
A medium sized tree.
Root:
Tap branched,
Stem:
Erect, woody, branched, cylindrical, glabrous, solid.
Leaves:
Compound, alternate, paripinnate, pulvinus at the base, petiolate, stipulate (stipules caducous), leaflets 4-8 pairs, ovate, entire, acute, glabrous, venation unicostate, reticulate.
Inflorescence:
Racemose, typical raceme.
Flower:
Pedicellate (long pedicels), bracteate (bracts minute and caducous) hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, complete, hypogynous, yellow.
Calyx:
Five sepals, polysepalous, more or less petaloid (yellowish green), inferior, quincuncial aestivation, odd sepals anterior.
Corolla:
Five petals, polypetalous, yellow, clawed, ascending imbricate aestivation, inferior.
Androecium:
Ten stamens, polyandrous, unequal in length, three posterior stamens reduced to staminodes, basifixed anthers with abortive and indehiscent lobes.
Gynoecium:
One carpel (monocarpellary), ovary superior, unilocular, marginal placentation, style short, stigma terminal, hairy.
Fruit:
A legume, 1-2 feet long, cylindrical, black when ripe.
Floral Formula:
2. Tamarindus Indica L., Eng. Tamarind:
Verna. Imli. Stem-woody, aerial, erect, cylindrical, branched, solid. Leaf-cauline and ramal, exstipulate, alternate, compound, uni-and paripinnate,’ petiolate, leaf base pulvinus, leaflet elliptical, entire, obtuse, unicostate reticulate, glabrous.
Inflorescence. Racemose, axillary raceme. Flower-bracteate, bracteolate, pedicellate, complete, zygomorphic, hermaphrodite, perigynous, cyclic. Calyx—5, polysepalous, posterior sepal large, imbricate. Corolla-5, polysepalous, posterior sepal large, imbricate. Corolla-5, polypetalous anterior two petals reduced, imbricate.
Androecium-3 stamens, 4 staminodes, all 7 form a staminal column, monadelphous, dithecous, versatile, introrse. Gynoecium-1, monocarpellary, half-inferior, marginal, ovules many, style long, stigma globular. Fruit-legume, pod.
Floral formula:
3. Bauhinia variegata L., Eng. Mountain ebony:
Verna. Kachnar. Stem-woody, aerial, erect, branched, cylindrical, solid. Leaf-cauline and ramal, alternate, stipulate, simple, petiolate, pulvinus, entire, emarginate, multicostate reticulate. Inflorescence-cymose, panicle cyme.
Flower-bracteate, bracteolate, pedicellate, zygomorphic, hermaphrodite, complete, pentamerous, perigynous, cyclic, Calyx-5, gamosepalous, valvate. Corolla-5, polypetalous, ascending imbricate, purple. Androecium-5, polyandrous, filament, long, dithecous, basifixed, introrse. Gynoecium-1, monocarpellary, superior, unilocular, ovules many, marginal, style short, stigma simple, Fruit. legume.
Floral formula:
Economic Importance of Family Caesalpiniaceae:
Economically the family is fairly important. A list of few important plants is given here:
1. Saraca indica; Eng.-Ashok tree; Verna-Ashok-This is a tree; native of India. It is grown as an ornamental in the gardens for its scarlet orange flowers. The plant is of great medicinal value.
2. Saraca declinata-This is a small tree. It is native of Sumatra. Grown as an ornamental for the bright orange-yellow flowers.
3. Bauhinia variegata; Syn. B Candida; Eng.-Mountain ebony; Verna-Kachnar-This is a tree. The white flowers possess red and yellow stripes. The leaves and flower buds are eaten as vegetable. The bark is used for dyeing and tanning. This is found in Punjab, the Western Penisula and Assam.
4. Bauhinia malabarica; Eng-Malabar mountain ebony; Verna-Amli-This is a common tree of South India, Assam and Bengal. The leaves used for flavouring food stuff. The bark is used for tanning. The tender seeds and leafy tips are eaten as vegetable.
5. Bauhinia purpurea; Verna-Kaliar, Lai Kachnar-This is found in Northern India. Assam, the Khasia hills and the Western Peninsula. The bark is used for tanning. A dye and a fibre are obtained from its bark.
6. Bauhinia tomentosa; Verna-Kachnar-This is small tree. The flowers are large yellow and possess a purple dye. The bark is employed as cordage. This is commonly found in South India, Assam and Bihar.
7. Bauhinia corymbosa; Verna-Safed Kachnar-This is a large omamental tree.
8. Bauhinia acuminata-, Verna-Safed Kachnar-This is a small omamental tree.
9. Bauhinia racemosa; Verna-Kachnar, Gurial-This is a small bushy tree. The flower buds and fruits are eaten as vegetable. The bark yields a fibre.
10. Bauhinia galpinii-lhxs is a straggling or prostrate shrub. This is native of South and tropical Africa. This is grown in the gardens as an ornamental for its bright scarlet flowers.
11. Bauhinia retusa; Verna-Kandla-This is found in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab. It yields a gum which is used in paper and textile industry.
12. Bauhinia vahlii; Verna-Malijhan, Jallur-This is a large climber. It is found in Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and the Punjab. The bark yields a fibre which is used for making ropes. The bark is also employed for tanning.
13. Bauhinia monandra; Eng.-Butterfly flowers-This is a small tree grown as a hedge plant.
14. Haematoxylon campechianum; Eng-Logwood; Verna-Patang-This is an ornamental thorny tree. It is native of Central America and West Indies. The heartwood contams haeamotoxylin, which is used in dyeing and as nuclear stain.
15. Cassia fistula: Verna-Amaltas-This is a tree, grown as an ornamental. The pulp of the fruits is used as a purgative and laxative.
16. Cassia alata; Verna-Dadmurdan- This is a small shrub. It is found in Tamil Nadu, Bengal. The leaves are used for ringworms and skin diseases. Also grown as an ornamental.
17. Cassia grandis-This is an ornamental and grown as a hedge plant in the gardens.
18. Cassia angustifolia; Verna-Sena-This is native of Arabia but now cultivated in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The leaves and fruits are used as a laxative and purgative.
19. Cassia artemisioides-This is a shrub grown as an ornamental.
20. Cassia javanica; Verna-Java-ki-Rani-This is small tree, grown as an ornamental for its pink flowers. It is native of Malaya.
21. Cassia auriculata; Verna-Tarvar-The bark is employed for tanning. It is found in Madhya Pradesh, the Western Peninsula, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.
22. Cassia nodosa-This is grown as an ornamental. The flowers are pink.
23. Cassia siamea-This is an ornamental tree. The flowers are used as vegetable.
24. Cassia tora; Verna-Pamaar, Chukunda-This is a herb or undershrub, found throughout our country. The seeds are employed in the preparation of sweets. The young leaves are eaten as vegetable.
26. Cassia sophera; Verna.-Kasaundi-This is herb grown as an ornamental in the gardens.
26. Cassia renigera; Eng-pink cassia-this is an ornamental grown as a hedge plant.
27. Caesalpinia bonducalla; Verna-Katkaranj, Karanju-This is a prickly shrub. The seeds are mixed with black pepper, and used as a tonic. The bark is also used as a tonic. The seeds are used as beads of necklaces, bracelets and rosaries.
28. Caesalpinia digyna; Verna-Vakeri-mul-This is a climbing shrub. The roots and fruits are employed for tanning. It is found in Bengal, Assam and Andaman islands.
29. Caesalpinia bonduc; Eng.-Fever nut-This is a scandent prickly shrub, cultivated as a hedge plant. The seeds are used medicinally to cure diarrhoea and rheumatism.
30. Caesalpinia crista; Syn.-C. nuga, Verna,- Karanju, Naktamala-This is a woody climbing shrub, commonly found in South India and Bengal. A kind of fat is obtained from the seeds which is used for making cosmetics.
31. Caesalpinia sappan; Verna-Patang-This is native of India and Malaya. It is now cultivated in Bengal and South India. A red dye is obtained from its heart wood. This dye is used for colouring cotton and woolen cloth. The red ink is also prepared from it.
32. Caesalpinia coriaria; Verna-Libi dibi-This is a small tree. It is native of South America and West Indies. It is found abundantly in South India. It is also cultivated in North-Western India and Bengal. The dried fruits are used for tanning.
33. Caesalpinia giliiesii; Eng-Bird of paradise-This is a shrub. It is native of South America. It is grown as an ornamental.
34. Poinciana pulcherrima; Syn.-Caesalpinia pulcherrima; Eng-Peacock flower; Verna.- Gulmohur-This is a shrub or small tree, cultivated as an ornamental.
35. Delonix regia; Syn-Poinciana regia; Eng.-Peacock flower; Verna.-Gulmohur-This is a tree. It is native of Madagascar but now grown in our country as an ornamental for the large red flowers.
36. Delonix elata, S.yn-Poinciana elata, Eng-white gulmohur; Verna.-Sankesar-This is a small tree; native of Abyssinia. It is grown as an ornamental for its yellow-white flowers.
37. Parkinsonia aculeata; Verna-Vilayati Kikar-This is a small tree. It is native of Panama. It is grown as a hedge plant. The flowers are yellow.
38. Tamarindus indica; Eng-Tamarind; Verna-Imli-This is a tree found throughout our country. It is grown as an avenue. The fruits are edible and are also used as carminative, and laxative. The bark and leaves are employed in tanning. The seeds yield jellose which is used for sizing jute and cotton. The polyose obtained from the seeds, is good substitute for food pectin’s.
The unripe fruits are rich source of tartaric acid. Tartaric acid and its salts are extensively used in various foods, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.