Differentiate between Fabaceae, Solanaceae and Liliaceae

Fabaceae, Solanaceae and Liliaceae are three families of the flowering plants. Let us know a little about these families before differentiating between them.

Family Fabaceae

Fabaceae, also known as the legume family, is the third-largest family in the Plant Kingdom after Orchidaceae and Asteraceae. 20,000 species are known in this family with about 765 genera. They are mostly found in the tropical regions, very few being found in temperate regions. It is one of the most economically important families as it includes daily use crops like peanuts, peas, moong and chickpea. Mulethi is used for medicinal purposes; soybean and groundnut are used to extract cooking oil.

Family Solanaceae

Solanaceae, also known as the nightshade or potato family, is the most utilised family by humans as it includes food like potato, tomato, eggplant, bell peppers, gooseberry, etc. It also has toxic plants like tobacco, belladonna, jimsonweed, mandrake, etc. On the other hand, some of the plants also exhibit medicinal properties. Around 3000 species of the family are known to humankind. They are well distributed throughout the Earth but are mainly found in tropical regions. Petunia is also a member of the solanaceae family which is an ornamental plant.

Family Liliaceae

Liliaceae, also known as the lily family, are known for their beautiful and decorative flowers such as lilies and tulips. About 600 species of the Liliaceae family are known. They are commonly found in temperate regions. Economical crops like onion, garlic and asparagus are members of the family.

Read a detailed description of Fabaceae, Solanaceae and Liliaceae families here.

Now that we know about the three families, let us look at the points where they differ.

Difference between Fabaceae, Solanaceae and Liliaceae

Fabaceae	Solanaceae	Liliaceae
Number of Cotyledons
Dicotyledonous	Dicotyledonous	Monocotyledonous
Type of Root
Tap root	Tap root	Fibrous root
Importance
Legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen and hence help in improving the quality of soil.	They produce medicinal compounds such as atropine, nicotine and hyoscine.	Their flowers are majorly used as ornamental and decorative pieces.
Common Name
Pea or legume family	Potato family	Lily family
Examples
Pea, chickpea, soybean	Potato, tomato, tobacco	Onion, lily, tulip
Number of Carpels
Monocarpellary	Bicarpellary	Tricarpellary
Placentation
Marginal placentation	Axile placentation	Axile placentation
Life Cycle
Perennials or annuals	Perennials, biennials or annuals	Perennials
Plant Type
Trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs	Usually herbs, though some species grow as shrubs or small trees	Herbs and shrubs
Fruit
Legume or pod	Berry or capsule	Berry or capsule

Explore BYJU’s Biology to learn about other families of the Plant Kingdom.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you identify a Solanaceae family?

The major identifying characteristic of the Solanaceae family are tap roots, alternate leaves, complete flower with 5 petals and sepals each in its flower, and the fruit being a capsule or berry.

What are the floral characters of Liliaceae?

The floral characters of Liliaceae include alternate leaves, actinomorphic flowers, perianth of 3 petals and 3 sepals each, superior ovary and axile placentation.