Question

Brinjal, Potato, Tomato, Onion, Ginger belong to
A) A single family
B) Four genera
C) Five genera
D) Same genus

Answer 1

These plants are given scientific names because of their similarity in various characters. Each one of them is placed in a particular genera or family or order based on their character’s similarity and differences and thereby their names are formed which are unique to each species.

Complete Answer:

- Brinjal, Solanum melongena , tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum , and potato, Solanum tuberosum , belong to the family of Solanaceae. Solanaceae, the nightshades, or potato, are a family of flowering plants.

- Members of the family include annuals, biennials, or perennials. They can take the form of herbs, shrubs, trees, lianas, vines and sometimes epiphytes. Leaves are simple and alternately arranged. Flowers are solitary or clustered with sepals and petals, 5 in number and fused; 5 stamens, a superior ovary, 2 fused carpels are present. The style is simple and has 2 lobes.

- Flowers are usually conspicuous and fruits are usually a berry or a capsule. Members of this family are present throughout the world and most of them are of economic importance as food and drug plants. The most economically important genus of the family is Solanum., which contains potato, tomato and brinjal.

- Onion, Allium cepa , belongs to the family Liliaceae, the lily family of the flowering plant. They are native to temperate and subtropical regions. Most of the members have 6 segmented flowers and 3 chambered capsular fruits. Leaves have parallel veins, are linear in shape and arranged in alternate order on the stem or in a rosette at the base. These plants are used as garden ornamentals and house plants usually lilies and tulips. Allium cepa is a therapeutic spice and a worldwide culinary.

- Ginger, Zingiber officinalis , belongs to the family Zingiberaceae. Zingiberaceae, or the ginger family is a family of aromatic flowering plants which are widely distributed throughout the tropics and subtropics, and abundantly in Southeast Asia. Leaves are distichous with basal sheaths that overlap and form a pseudostem. Many of the members of this family are used as spices or flavoring agents.

Hence, the correct option is option B, ‘four genera’.

Note: Tomato was initially called Solanum lycopersicum by Linnaeus. However, Philip miller placed it in a different genus, Lycopersicon esculentum. The correct form, which is used now is Lycopersicum esculentum. Two of the main reasons for this change in the genera may be: the leaf structure of tomato is different from Solanum.