Question

Character common between Malvaceae, Papilionaceae and Cucurbitaceae

• A. Cohesion of sepals
• B. Cohesion of carpels
• C. Cohesion of petals
• D. None of the above

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

Cohesion of sepals

Sepals are the non-essential floral part which do not take part in sexual reproduction and make the outermost whorl of green floral organs serving to protect the flower parts in bud condition. Carpel is the female part of flower derived from central region of thalamus. Malvaceae family exhibits contorted or twisted which is marked by the presence of one margin of every petal or sepal outside its neighbour and the other margin inside its neighbour which means that they alternately overlap each other. Papilionaceae sub family is characterized by vexillary aestivation where in one margin of the two lateral petals is overlapped by the posterior petal. Another margin of these two lateral petals overlaps the two anterior petals that are united. Cucurbitaceae exhibits imbricate aestivation in which margin of petals overlaps each other in irregular fashion. Malvaceae and Cucurbitaceae have multicarpellary and tricarpellary ovaries respectively in syncarpous condition but papilionaceae sub family has a monocarpellary ovary. Thus the mentioned three families show cohesion of sepals.