Monocotyledon families- Commelinaceae, Arecaceae and Araceae

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Commelinaceae
(Spiderwort family)

Commelina



A family of about 50 genera and 700 species, Commelinaceae are mostly tropical and subtropical in distribution. About 11 genera and over 75 species have been reported from India chiefly from eastern Himalayas and parts of southern and western India. 
Selected Indian genera are: 
    • Aneilema, 
    • Commelina, 
    • Murdannia, 
    • Streptolirion and 
    • Tradescantia. 
                   Plants of this family are annual or perennial herbs with fibrous or tuber-like roots, jointed and more or less succulent stems;  occasionally twining (Streptolirion), stem either with purplish tinge (Commelina) or deep violet (Tradescantia). Succulent stem, and leaves with tubular sheath; floral parts in 3s; perianth differentiated into calyx and corolla; ovary superior; fruit capsule.
Fruits and seeds: Fruit a loculicidal capsule, rarely fleshy and indehiscent. Seeds often arillate, 1 to few in each local, with small embryo and copious endosperm, seed tissue contains calcium oxalate.
Pollination an dispersal: Flowers in Tradescantia and several other genera are protandrous and adapted for insect pollination. As the flowers fade, the petals become pulpy and their surface gets covered with a layer of liquid which attracts insects. Fruits are dispersed by animals and birds.
Economic Importance

Except for some ornamental plants, the family is of little importance. 
The ornamental species include: 
    • Commelina suffruticosa, 
    • Cyanotis cristata, 
    • Dichorisandra thyrisiflora, 
    • Rhoeo discolor, 
    • Tradescantia virginiana (Spiderwort), and 
    • Zebrina pendula (wandering jew).
 Some minor aspects of utility include:
    • The roots of Aneilema scapiflorum are used in piles and asthma,
    • The rhizomes of Commelina benghalensis are used as vegetable,
    • The roots of C. obliqua are used as an antidote to snake poison,
    • The stem juice of Floscopa scadens is put in sore eyes,
    • Plants of several species of Aneilema, Murdannia and Commelina are used in leprosy and leucoderma,
    • Roots of Cyanotis are used to expel worms in cattle.






Palmae or Arecaceae
(Palm family)







A family of 217 genera and 3000 species distributed widely in tropical and subtropical regions of the world and a few also in warm temperate regions. About 28 genera and 95 species have been reported from India. 
Chief genera are: 
    • Calamus (cane palm), 
    • Chamaedorea, 
    • Areca (betel-nut palm), 
    • Raphia (wine palm), 
    • Coccothrinax (Biscayne palm), 
    • Copernicia (wax palm), 
    • Sabal (cabbage palm), 
    • Phoenix (date palm), 
    • Roystonea (royal palm), 
    • Metroxylon (sago palm), 
    • Phytelephas (ivory-nut palm), 
    • Caryota (fish-tail palm), 
    • Elaeis (oil palm) and 
    • Cocos (coconut palm).
Plants of this family are woody shrubs, trees or sometimes vines (Calamus, Desmoncus); with usually unbranched, slender to stout stem; short to over 30 metres tall and with leaves often forming a terminal cluster in arborescent species.
Fruits and seeds: Fruit berry with fleshy exocarp (Phoenix) or drupe  with fibrous epicarp (Cocos). Seeds with small embryo and abundant endosperm.
Pollination and dispersal: Pollination in palms is usually anemophilous and the flowers are protandrous. Some palms (Sabal) however are insect pollinated. Dispersal of fruit is either by animals or water (Cocos).

Economic Importance

Palm family supposed to be second in importance to Poaceae, is used for food, oils, shelter, coconuts, copra, dates, clothing, etc. As many as 801 uses of only Borassus flabellifer have been mentioned in one ancient Tamil song. Cocos nucifera (coconut palm) ia another such plant of this family, whose almost every part of the entire plant body is utilised in some ways or other, i.e.
    1. Root decoction is used as mouthwash,
    2. Stem is used for pillars and as a fuel,
    3. Leaves are used for making mats, fans, baskets, etc.,
    4. Toddy, obtained from young inflorescences, provide san intoxicating alcoholic drink on fermentation,
    5. Endosperm of young fruits is edible and their milky fluid is a sweet and refreshing drink,
    6. Vegetable fat obtained from the dried endosperm of mature fruits is used for cooking and several toilet preparations,
    7. Dried fibrous mesocarp of fruits is used for brushes, ropes, mats, floor coverings, etc.
    8. Woody endocarp of fruits is prepared into several articles of decoration, and 
    9. Famous coconut oil is used for anointing the body. 

Some of the other generalised uses of Palmae are undermentioned:

Ornamental palms: Palmae are universally known for their majestic look and handsome appearance. Some of them are-
    • Adonidia merilli (Manila palm)
    • Arenga saccharifolia (Gomuti palm)
    • Caryota urens (wine palm or fish-tail palm)
    • Chamaerops humilus (European fan palm)
    • Livistona chinensis (fountain palm or Chinese fan palm)
    • Phoenix rupicola 
    • Pritchardia pacifica
    • Roystonea elata (Floridean royal palm)
    • R. obracea
    • R. regia (Royal palm or bottle palm)
    • Sabal minor (Bush palmetto)
    • S. umbraculifera (cabbage palm)


Oils: 
Coconut oil is obtained from the dried ripe endosperm of Cocos nucifera while the palm oil is obtained from the fleshy mesocarp of the fruits of Elaeis guineensis (oil palm).

Edible products:

    • Seeds of Areca catechu (Supari or betel nut palm) are sliced and chewed along with "Paan" (Piper betel) by millions of people,
    • Kernel of fruits and tender leaves of Arenga pinnata is edible,
    • Young seedlings of Borassus flabellifer are used as vegetable and its fruits are eaten after roasting,
    • Fruits of Copernica ceribera and Hyphaene thebaica are edible,
    • Sago used as an article of diet is used from the pith of stem of Metroxylon rumphii (sago palm or sabudana),
    • Stem buds, young penducles and immature seeds of Nypa fruticans are eaten raw or cooked as vegetable,
    • Ripe fruits of Phoenix dactylifera (date palm) and P. sylvestris (wild date palm) are eaten throughout the world for their high food value, 
    • Fruits of Sabal palmetto (cabbage palm) are edible, and honey is prepared from its flowers.
Toddy:
A sap of sugary solution, obtained by cutting or tapping the stems, young penducles or inflorescence of several palms is used for manufacturing jaggery, and by fermentation it yields an intoxicating drink for beverage called "toddy". This sap is also used for manufacturing number of commercially useful products such as 'Nira', palm sugar, alcohol, vinegar, etc. Palms commonly used for this purpose are-
    • Arenga pinnata
    • A. saccharifera
    • Borassus flabellifer
    • Caryota urens
    • Metroxylon vinifera
    • Nypa fruticans
    • Phoenix dactylifera
    • P. sylvestris
The sap of Raphia hookeri is the source of famous 'Bourdon wine'.

Hats, mats and baskets:
These and many other similar articles such as umbrella handles, walking sticks, hand fans, etc. are prepared from Borassus flabellifer, Nypa fruticans, Phoenix dactylifera, Psylvestris etc.

Brushes:
Brushes are obtained fro fibres obtained from the leaf stalks of Arena pinnata, Borasus flabellifer and Sabal palmetto.

Timber:
Dense stem wood of several palms (Borassus, Caryota, Cocos, Hyphaene and Phoenix) is used as timber.

Cane:
Common 'cane' of commerce, used for matting chairs, baskets, furniture frames, walking sticks, etc. is obtained from several species of Calamus (cane palms) such as C. extends, C. latifolius, C. ovals, C. rotundas and C. tennis. Daemonorops asperses, D. jenkinsianus and Korthalsia horrida are also utilised for similar purposes.

Vegetable ivory:
Stony endosperm of Phytelephas macrocarpa id used for making beads of necklaces and other similar articles as cheap substitute of ivory.

Wax:
Wax, utilised for manufacturing candles, boot polishes, etc. is obtained from Ceroxylon andicola, Copernicia cerifera, etc.

Sacred writing material:
Narrow strips of leaves of Corypha umbraculifera have been used fro several sacred writings in olden days. Leaves of Borassus flabellifer were also used for several such writings by ancient Hindus.

Resin:
Dragon's blood a resinous exudate obtained from the fruits of Daemonorops ruber is used in colouring marbles, varnishes, etc.





Araceae
(Arum family)

Monstera

A family of 115 genera and 2,000 species, Araceae are distributed mostly in tropical and some also in temperate regions of the world. About 25 genera na dover 140 species have been reported from India, chiefly from western and southern parts. 
Some larger genera from world over are:
    •  Anthurium, 
    • Philodendron, 
    • Arisaema, 
    • Amorphophallus, 
    • Rhaphidophora, 
    • Pothos, 
    • Alocasia, 
    • Monstera, 
    • Arum, 
    • Colocasia, 
    • Acorus and 
    • Pistia. 
    • Colocasia (Colocasia antiquorum) and 'money plant' (Pothos aureus) are two famous plants of Araceae. 
Selected Indian genera are: 
    • Acorus, 
    • Alocasia, 
    • Amorphophallus, 
    • Colocasia, 
    • Pistia and 
    • Pothos.
Plants of this family have highly variable habit, usually perennial rhizomatous or tuberous herbs (Arum), climbers (Pothos),  or tree- like (Dracontium, Philodendron); rarely free-floating aquatic herbs (Pistia); some are epiphytes (Anthurium), or occur in marshy conditions (Lasia); often raphides or calcium oxalate crystals present in the sap of the plants. Inflorescence spadix subtended or enveloped bu a single spathe; flowers small and often bad smelling; fruit a berry.

Economic Importance

Vegetables:
    • The stem and root stocks of Alocasia indica ,
    • Tuberous corms and leaves of Amorphophallus campanulatus (zimicand or elephant foot),
    • Tubers of Colocasia esculenta syn. C. anti quorum (arvi or colocasia) and 
    • Corms and leaves of Remusatia vivipara and Xanthostoma niger.
Industrial alcohol and starchy baby foods are also prepared from the tubers of Colocasia esculenta.

Plants of medicinal value:
    • Acorus calamus, of which the rhizomes are beneficial in chronic diarrhoea and dyspepsia,
    • Alocasia macrorhiza, of which the stem juice is used to relieve pain from scorpion bite,
    • Amorphophallus campanulatus, of which the corms are use din treating piles and dysentry, and 
    • Scindapsus officinalis, of which the dried fruits have anthelmintic properties.
Plants of ornamental value: These are grown in gardens for their often variegated and strikingly handsome leaves.
    • Acorus calamus var. variegatus
    • Alocasia indica var. metallica
    • Caladium bicolor
    • C. picturatum
    • Colocasia antiquorum
    • Dieffenbachia pica
    • Monstera deliciosa
    • Pothos aureus (money plant)
    • Scindapsus officinalis
    • S. pictus
Ornamental plants cultivated mainly for their flowers and spathes include several species of:
    •  Anthurium, 
    • Arisaema (jack-in-the-pulpit or Indian turnip), 
    • Dracunculus (dragon arum), 
    • Lysichiton (western skunk cabbage), 
    • Sauromatum (Vondoo lily) and 
    • Spathiphyllum.

Pistia stratifies is cultivated for being used in aquaria.










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