Part 5 — Morphology & Structure of Flowering Plants: Families (Solanaceae) (Questions 101–125)
Part 5 — Morphology & Structure of Flowering Plants: Families (Solanaceae) (Questions 101–125)
Q101. Family Solanaceae is commonly known as:
A) Pea family
B) Nightshade family (includes tomato, potato, brinjal, tobacco, Capsicum)
C) Grass family
D) Mint family
Answer: B
Explanation:
A) Fabaceae.
B) Correct — Solanaceae = nightshades.
C) Poaceae.
D) Lamiaceae.
Q102. Typical floral formula of Solanaceae (e.g., brinjal) often shows:
A) Actinomorphic, bisexual, epipetalous stamens, gamosepalous calyx, sympetalous corolla, superior ovary, 5+5+2+1 pattern often represented as: ✶ K(5) C(5) A(5) G(2) (or similar)
B) Zygomorphic only always
C) Wind-pollinated only
D) No perianth
Answer: A
Explanation:
A) Correct — Solanaceae have fused corolla/sepals and 5 epipetalous stamens, usually superior ovary.
B/C/D) Not generally true.
Q103. The placentation of Solanaceae ovary is usually:
A) Marginal
B) Axile (in most solanaceous plants with bicarpellary syncarpous ovary)
C) Basal only
D) None
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Incorrect.
B) Correct.
Q104. The fruit of tomato is a:
A) Drupe
B) Berry — a fleshy fruit developed from single ovary with multiple seeds (tomato, grape)
C) Legume
D) Capsule
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Incorrect.
B) Correct.
Q105. The corolla of solanaceous flowers is typically:
A) Gamosepalous only
B) Sympetalous (fused petals) often tubular or campanulate (bell-shaped)
C) Absent always
D) Filamentous only
Answer: B
Explanation:
A) Gamosepalous = fused sepals; corolla = sympetalous.
B) Correct.
C/D) Not true.
Q106. Solanaceae members often have which type of inflorescence?
A) Racemes, cymes or solitary flowers depending on species — many solanaceous plants show cymose or racemose variations e.g., Petunia (raceme/solitary), brinjal (axillary cymes)
B) Only capitulum
C) Only grass-like panicles
D) No inflorescence
Answer: A
Explanation:
A) Correct — inflorescence types vary but often cymose/racemose.
B/C/D) Not accurate generalizations.
Q107. Which of the following is a glycoalkaloid poisonous compound found in some Solanaceae (e.g., green potatoes)?
A) Solanine — toxic glycoalkaloid in green potato tubers and leaves causing gastrointestinal and neurological symptoms if ingested in high amounts
B) Caffeine only
C) Nicotine only in no plants
D) Capsaicin only in all solanaceae
Answer: A
Explanation:
A) Correct.
B/C/D) Other compounds: nicotine in Nicotiana, capsaicin in Capsicum — but solanine is notable for potato toxicity.
Q108. In solanaceae, the stamens are often:
A) Free and adnate to sepals only
B) Epipetalous — attached to corolla tube (epipetalous), often alternating with corolla lobes
C) Absent always
D) Fused to ovary only
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Not typical.
B) Correct.
Q109. Potato (Solanum tuberosum) stores food in:
A) Seeds only
B) Stem tubers (modified underground stolons forming tubers) for vegetative propagation and storage — not roots (though some roots also store)
C) Leaves only
D) Flowers only
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Not accurate.
B) Correct.
Q110. Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is cultivated primarily for the production of:
A) Edible fruits
B) Alkaloid nicotine used historically and commercially (smoking, etc.) and as model plant in research
C) Grains
D) Timber
Answer: B
Explanation:
B) Correct.
A/C/D) Not primary.
Q111. Capsaicin, the compound causing pungency, is found predominantly in:
A) Potatoes
B) Capsicum (chillies) — concentrated in placenta and membrane of fruit, responsible for pungency and used in spices, deterrents and pharmaceuticals
C) Tomato juices only
D) Eggplant skin only
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Not accurate.
B) Correct.
Q112. Solanaceae family floral symmetry is typically:
A) Actinomorphic (radial) in many members like Solanum and Nicotiana (some exceptions with zygomorphic forms)
B) Zygomorphic always
C) Asymmetrical only
D) None
Answer: A
Explanation:
A) Correct generalization.
B/C/D) Not general.
Q113. Which solanaceous crop is a staple root vegetable in many cultures?
A) Eggplant only
B) Potato (tuberous stems) as a major staple providing carbohydrates in many diets worldwide
C) Tomato primarily a vegetable fruit
D) Tobacco as food
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Not staple roots.
B) Correct.
Q114. In Solanaceae, corolla lobes and anther arrangement often produce a characteristic:
A) Fused anther cone surrounding style (anther tube) as in Solanum species facilitating poricidal anther dehiscence and buzz pollination in some species
B) No stamens at all
C) Conspicuous petals only
D) No relevance to pollination
Answer: A
Explanation:
A) Correct — poricidal anthers and fused anther cone assists certain pollinators.
B/C/D) Not general.
Q115. Some Solanaceae members are used as model organisms in plant research because:
A) They are unsuitable for lab growth
B) Tomato and tobacco have well-established genetics and transformation systems, fast growth, and agricultural importance making them model plants
C) They do not have any seeds
D) They cannot be hybridized
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) False.
B) Correct.
Q116. Potato tuber formation is stimulated by:
A) Continuous light always
B) Specific photoperiod and hormonal signals (short-day conditions and gibberellin/auxin balance influence tuberization) — complex control involving environmental cues and hormones
C) Flowering only
D) Root hairs presence only
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Incorrect simplifications.
B) Correct.
Q117. The common feature used to identify Solanaceae is:
A) Flowers with numerous separate petals always
B) Presence of sympetalous corolla, epipetalous stamens, 5 carpels forming superior ovary often with axile placentation, and alternate leaves — diagnostic characters but some variation exists
C) Coniferous leaves only
D) No leaves at all
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Not correct.
B) Correct.
Q118. Tobacco mosaic virus infects plants in Solanaceae such as tobacco and tomato. TMV is a:
A) Bacterial pathogen only
B) Virus causing mosaic patterns on leaves, stunting and loss in yield — historically important plant virus in virology research
C) Fungus only
D) Nematode exclusively
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Not TMV.
B) Correct.
Q119. The common pepper (Capsicum annum) is in Solanaceae and fruits are:
A) Capsules only
B) Berries (fleshy, indehiscent fruit, many-seeded) used as vegetables and spices; capsaicin in placenta imparts pungency in hot peppers
C) Legumes only
D) Drupes only
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Not correct.
B) Correct.
Q120. Bryophyllum-like vegetative propagation is:
A) A solanaceous character only
B) Not typical of Solanaceae; Bryophyllum belongs to Crassulaceae — however many plants show vegetative propagation via tubers, stolons, bulbils in other families including Solanaceae (e.g., potato tubers)
C) Exclusive to grasses
D) Not found in nature
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Wrong.
B) Clarifies that Bryophyllum is Crassulaceae; Solanaceae propagate vegetatively via tubers etc.
Q121. An identification characteristic of Solanaceae pollen is:
A) Pollen never produced
B) Typically tricolpate pollen grains (dicots) though pollen morphology varies among species and can be diagnostic microscopically
C) Pollen unique to gymnosperms only
D) No pollen produced in vegetables
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Incorrect.
B) Correct general feature for dicots including many solanaceae (tricolpate).
Q122. Which of these is a toxic wild Solanaceae plant historically used as hallucinogen/poison?
A) Tobacco (Nicotiana) and Datura (contains tropane alkaloids like atropine, scopolamine, hyoscyamine) used historically and culturally as hallucinogen/poison
B) Tomato only edible and not hallucinogenic (though unripe parts may contain solanine)
C) Potato always edible raw
D) Pepper always nontoxic
Answer: A
Explanation:
A) Correct.
B/C/D) Not correct; some parts toxic in some species.
Q123. What type of placentation is commonly found in solanaceous flowers?
A) Parietal only
B) Axile placentation is common due to bicarpellary syncarpous ovary in many Solanaceae members
C) Marginal only
D) Basal only
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Incorrect.
B) Correct.
Q124. The scientific genus Solanum includes which of the following economically important crops?
A) Maize and wheat
B) Potato, brinjal (eggplant) and some nightshade weeds (Solanum spp.) — Solanum is a large genus including food crops and other species
C) Pineapple only
D) Grass species only
Answer: B
Explanation:
A/C/D) Not Solanum.
B) Correct.
Q125. Which Solanaceae member is used in research as model for genetic transformation because of ease of transformation and regeneration?
A) Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana benthamiana) commonly used in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and plant molecular biology studies
B) Pine trees only
C) Wheat only
D) None
Answer: A
Explanation:
A) Correct.
B/C/D) Not common models.