Question

Subfamilies of Leguminosae family are differentiated on the basis of
A) Gynoecium
B) Corolla and androecium
C) Nature of plant
D) Nature of fruit

Answer 1

Family Leguminosae or Fabaceae is commonly known as legume or pea family. These are majorly flowering plants which have the ability of symbiotic nitrogen fixation.

Complete Answer:
Fabaceae or Leguminosae are economically important flowering plants. They are annual or perennial herbs, trees and shrubs. They can be easily recognised by their fruit or leaves.

1. Nature of plant- The plants are mostly shrubs or herbs. The leaves are evenly or oddly pinnately compounded.
2. Nature of roots- Roots have special root nodules for symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Bacterium rhizobium helps in fixing atmospheric nitrogen.
3. Nature of fruit- The fruits of the pea family are pod-like. It is a simple dry fruit which opens along a seam.
4. Gynoecium- Flowers are hermaphrodites with superior ovary and curved style.
5. Stamens and Corolla- On the basis of stamens and corolla, leguminosae is divided into three subfamilies. These are mainly differentiated on the basis of inflorescence and floral characters like corolla and androecium.

I) Papilionoideae – They have special butterfly shaped corolla, flowers are zygomorphic and the stamens are diadelphous. Example- Cadia.
II) Caesalpinioideae- They have zygomorphic (yoke shaped) flowers with ascending imbricate corolla and 10 stamens. Example- Cercis.
III) Mimosoideae have actinomorphic (star shaped) flowers with indefinite exerted stamens. Example- mimosa.

Thus the correct answer is B. Subfamilies are differentiated on the basis of stamens and corolla.

Note: The flowers of this family are pollinated by insects. The flowers are colourful to insect pollinators. The flowers have fused sepals and 5 free petals.