Family Fabaceae differs from Solanaceae and Liliaceae. With respect to the stamens, pick out the characteristics specific to family Fabaceae but not found in Solanaceae or Liliaceae. (NEET 2023 (Phase 1))
Answer: (A) Diadelphous and Dithecous anthers. The stamen feature that is unique to Fabaceae (Papilionoideae) is diadelphous cohesion — nine stamens fused into one bundle plus one free — with normal bilobed (dithecous) anthers.
- A.Diadelphous and Dithecous anthers✓
- B.Polyadelphous and epipetalous stamens
- C.Monoadelphous and Monothecous anthers
- D.Epiphyllous and Dithecous anthers
Correct Answer
(A) Diadelphous and Dithecous anthers
Solution & Explanation
The stamen feature that is unique to Fabaceae (Papilionoideae) is diadelphous cohesion — nine stamens fused into one bundle plus one free — with normal bilobed (dithecous) anthers. Solanaceae instead has epipetalous stamens and Liliaceae has epiphyllous (epitepalous) stamens, neither of which is diadelphous. So the Fabaceae-specific set is 'Diadelphous and Dithecous anthers', option A. NCERT Reference: Ch 5, p.64, lines 34-35 — "or two bundles (diadelphous) as in pea, or into more than two bundles"