1. Rutaceae is a large dicotyledonous plant family with over 162 genera and 1650 species found primarily in warm temperate and tropical regions.
2. The family includes many economically important plants such as citrus fruits like oranges and lemons.
3. Rutaceae plants have great morphological variation and economic uses including as sources of fruits, condiments, medicines, timber, and ornamentals.
4. Some genera of note are Citrus, Murraya, Zanthoxylum, and Ruta which have various applications from food to traditional medicine.
1. Rutaceae is a large dicotyledonous plant family with over 162 genera and 1650 species found primarily in warm temperate and tropical regions.
2. The family includes many economically important plants such as citrus fruits like oranges and lemons.
3. Rutaceae plants have great morphological variation and economic uses including as sources of fruits, condiments, medicines, timber, and ornamentals.
4. Some genera of note are Citrus, Murraya, Zanthoxylum, and Ruta which have various applications from food to traditional medicine.
1. Rutaceae is a large dicotyledonous plant family with over 162 genera and 1650 species found primarily in warm temperate and tropical regions.
2. The family includes many economically important plants such as citrus fruits like oranges and lemons.
3. Rutaceae plants have great morphological variation and economic uses including as sources of fruits, condiments, medicines, timber, and ornamentals.
4. Some genera of note are Citrus, Murraya, Zanthoxylum, and Ruta which have various applications from food to traditional medicine.
1. Rutaceae is a large dicotyledonous plant family with over 162 genera and 1650 species found primarily in warm temperate and tropical regions.
2. The family includes many economically important plants such as citrus fruits like oranges and lemons.
3. Rutaceae plants have great morphological variation and economic uses including as sources of fruits, condiments, medicines, timber, and ornamentals.
4. Some genera of note are Citrus, Murraya, Zanthoxylum, and Ruta which have various applications from food to traditional medicine.
Semester V: Plant Taxonomy and Economic Botany Rutaceae
Session 16 RUTACEAE A L de Jussieu (Rue or Citrus family) Introduction: A large dicotyledonous family having 162 genera and 1650 species. About 25 genera and 80 species of this family have so far been reported from India. These are mostly distributed in warm temperate and tropical regions with the greatest diversity in South Africa and Australia. The members of Rutaceae have great variation both in the vegetative and reproductive charcters. Basic chromosome number x=7-11.
Some of the prominent genera : Ruta is the type specimen (60 species), Citrus (65), Feronia , Aegle, Murraya (12), Chloroxylon , Glycosmis, Toddalia, Zanthoxylum (200),, Agathosma (180)
Vegetative Characters
Habit and habitat: Mostly shrubs (Citrus) and trees (Aegle marmelos, Feronia elephantum and some are climbers (Todalia), Rarely herbs (Ruta graveolens, Dictamus) armed with spines and thorns.
Root: Tap root system
Stem: Arborescent, rarely herbaceous (Ruta), solid and
cylindrical, sometimes with thornes or spines ( Toddalia)
Leaves: Petiolate, exstipulate, usually pinnately compound
( Murraya) or unifoliate and palmately (Citrus) compound, aromatic, due to pellucid dotted oil glands, glaucous. In Citrus species winged petiole prresent. <- - A flowering twig
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Semester V: Plant Taxonomy and Economic Botany Rutaceae
Reproductive Characters: Inflorescence: usually terminal cymes (Toddalia) or sometimes racemoseacemose -panicle (Murraya paniculata); rarely, axillary solitary cymes (Triphasia aurantifolia)
Flower: pedicellate, ebracteate,
bracteate, ebracteolate, conspicuous, complete, bi-sexual, sexual, actinomorphic but rarely zygomorphic (Dictamnus Dictamnus), pentamerous, rarely tetramerous (Acronychia) ( or trimerous (Triphasia). In Ruta graveolens, both pentamerous (terminal erminal flowers), and tetramerous (lateral ateral flowers) are present. In some species the flowers are unisexual u (Toddalia, Evodia), chlamydeous, bichlamydeous and heterochlamydeous heterochlamydeous,, hypogynous or perigynous with a prominent nectar disc,
Corolla: Petals 5, rarely 4/3, polypetalous but in Correa speciosa gamopetalous and companulate, dotted glands, imbricate aestivation, white, yellow, or red coloured.
Androecium: stamens definite (3 – 10) or indefinite (α), usually polyandrous
olyandrous (free). In Murraya and Chloroxylon species stamens 10 with obdiplostemenous arrangement ( i.e., stamens are in two whorls 5+5 , where the outer whorl are opposite to the petals)). In case of Aegle mormelos stamens indefinite and free or many and polyadelphous (Citrus species). But in Zanthoxylum ( 3 -5)and Skimmia (5) definite stamens. There will be interstaminal nectary disc. Staminodes may be present. Anthers: dithecous and introrse. Pollen 3 -6 corporate andd 2 - celled.
Gynoecium: penta / tetra/ tri
tri- carpellary, syncarpous, multilocular, superior ovary, with wi ovules on axile placentation. In Feronia limonia the ovary is unilocular with ovule/s on parietal pari placentation.
Floral Formula : EBr, EBrl, , K5/4/3, C5/4/3, A 5 -10 – α, G (4/5)
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Semester V: Plant Taxonomy and Economic Botany Rutaceae
Figure 2. The morphological and the floral charcters of Murraya paniculata
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Semester V: Plant Taxonomy and Economic Botany Rutaceae
Figure 3. The morphological and the floral charcters of Citrus species
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Semester V: Plant Taxonomy and Economic Botany Rutaceae
Economic Importance : 1. As a source of fruits: Rutaceae provides some of the world's most important, tasty and juicy citrus fruits which are richest source of vitamin C. Some of them are: Citrus aurantifolia (Lime), C. aurantium (Sour lime), C. limettioides (Sweet lime), C. limon (Lemon, galgal) C. maxima (Shaddock, chakotra), C. medica (Citron, bark nimbu), C. paradisi (Grapefruit) , C. reticulata (Orange) and C. sinensis (Sweet orange, mussambi). Some other famous fruits of the family include: Aegle marmelos (bael, bilva), Evodia fraxinifolia (kanukpa), Feronia lmonia (wood-apple), Fortunella japonica (kumquat) and Glycosmis pentaphylla (ban nimbu). 2. As a source of condiments: 1. Bark of Zanthoxylum alatum (tejpat) is a famous condiment and is used to clean teeth as a carminative and stomachic. 2. Leaves of Z. limonella are used as a condiment and its fruits are digestive and appetising. 3. Fruits of Z. nitidum are used as a condiment and its roots are used in toothache. 4. The leaves of Murraya koenigii are mixed with little turmeric to make curry powder in India. 5. Leaves of Evodia lunuranthenoa are also used as a condiment. 3. As a source of medicinal value: 1. A poultice of bark of Acranychia laurifolia is applied on sores and ulcers; 2. Fruit pulp of Aegle marmelos is a mild laxative, whereas its roasted fruits are used against diarrhoea and dysentry and its root and stem bark are used in treating intermittent fever; 3. Oils from the fruits of Atalantia monophylla is useful in paralysis and rheumatism; 4. Leaves of Barosma betulina are used in curing kidney diseases; 5. Bark of Cusparia febrifuga is used in malaria; 6. Bark of Dictamnus albus is useful in treating nervous diseases and intermittent fevers; 7. Ripe fruits of Feronia limonia are taken as a cardiac tonic; 8. Roots of Glycosmis pentaphylla are used in fever; 9. Bark and roots of Murraya koenigii are used in intestinal disorders; 10. Seeds of Peganum harmala are given in asthma, neuralgia and rheumatism; 11. Leaves of Pilocarpus pinnatifolius are used in kidney troubles; 12. Dried leaves of Ruta graveolens are used as nerve stimulant; 13. Root bark of Toddalia asiatica is a potent antimalarial drug; 14. Seeds of Zanthoxylum alatum are used in cholera; 15. Roots of Z. nitidum are used in toothache.
4. As Timber yielding plants: The wood obtained from: Choisya, Chloroxylon swietennia, Feronia limonia, Glycosmis pentaphylla, Murraya paniculata and Zanthoxylon alatum is used for veneering, making walking sticks, agricultural implements, etc. Trees of Chloroxylon swietenia and Zanthoxylum flavum yield useful timber commonly called satinwoods. Timber from
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Semester V: Plant Taxonomy and Economic Botany Rutaceae
Flindersia brayleana, is an important hard wood from Australia, used for cabinet work, veneers, and aeroplane construction, rifle sticks. 5. Grown as ornamental plants: 1. Amongst the ornamental shrub and tree genera of Rutaceae are Phellodendron, Ptelea, Choisya, Skimmia and Zanthoxylum. 2. Perennial herbs of ornamental value include Dictamnus albus and Ruta graveolens. 3. The fragrant-flowered Murraya paniculata is commonly grown for decorative purposes. 4. Some other ornamentals include Fortunella japonica, Glycosmis pentaphylla, Luvunga scandens and Poncirus trifolia.
6. As source of oils: Essential oils obtained from the leaves and fruit rinds of various species of Citrus, Feronia, Murraya, etc are used in medicine and perfumery. Seeds of Citrus bergamia are the source of famous 'bergamot oil'.
Dignostic Features : 1. Tropical or temperate shrubs or trees mostly with or without thorns 2. Leaves are usually pinnate or palmate (tri- or unifoilate) compound, leaves with dotted oil glands 3. Flowers conspicuous with aromatic odour and tetra- or pentamerous , hypogynous and nectary disc condition, 4. Presence of Obdiplostemenous (Murraya) or polyadelphous (Citrus) stamen condition 5. Overy penta- or tetracarpelly, syncarpous superior ovary 6. Schzocarpic fruit – Hesperidium (Citrus), Berry ( Murraya), Samara ( Ptelea)
References & Suggested Reading:
1. Gurucharan Singh: Plant Systematics- Theory & Practice,3rd Edn., CBS Publishers (2012) 2. Bharati Bhattacharyya: systematic Botany, Narosa Publishing, Delhi (2005) 3. Subramanyam NS: Modern taxonomy, Vikas Publishing House Pvt Ltd.(1995) 4. Simpson MG: Plant Systematics, 2nd Edn., Academic Press (2010) 5. Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 1992 onwards. The families of Flowering Plants: descriptions, illustrations, identification, and information retrieval. Version: 18th November 2020. delta- intkey.com
