rutaceae

 8. RUTACEAE

Distribution: The family contains of 162 genera and 1650 species widely distributed in the tropical and sub tropical regions of the world. In India, 23 genera with 70 species are found with common examples as Citrus, Aegle, Murraya, Feronia, Atlantia etc. Zanthoxylum (200 species), Agathosma (180 species and Citrus (65 species) are some large genera of the family. Salient feature: The presence of pellucid glands filled with essential oils is a characteristic feature of the plants. Flowers are protandrous and insect pollinated. Seeds are dispersed by human agency and animals. Description: Plants may be herbs, shrubs (Murraya) or trees (Aegle, Citrus, Feronia) and are often armed; leaves exstipulate, winged petiole present; flower complete; stamens twice the number of petals, gynophores is present; placentation is axile. Leaves: Leaves are opposite and alternate, exstipulate and simple (Calodendron, Diosnia) or compound, trifoliate (Aegle and Triphasia) or pinnately compound (Murraya). In Citrus, leaves are unifoliate compound with winged petioles (some taxonomists consider them simple).

Inflorescence: Racemose (Atlantia) or cymose or the flower may be axillary or terminal solitary (Triphasia). Flowers: Bracteates, hermaphrodite, actinomorphic, pentamerous (trimerous in Triphasia and tetramerous in Achronychia) and hypogynous. Flowers are unisexual in Zanthoxylum and Toddalia and zygomorphic in Dictamnus, Galipea and Alnicida. Calyx:Consist of 4 or 5 sepals, free or variously connate. Aestivation is imbricate, rarely valvate. Corolla: 4 or 5 free or rarely connate petals with aestivation valvate or imbricate. Androecium: Consists of 5, 8 or 10 stamens (double the number of petals) or indefinite. When stamens are 10, these show obdiplostemonous condition and when 5, these are antisepalous. In Citrus, stamens are numerous and polyadelphous, i.e. Arranged in several bundles. An annular disc or gynophore is present above the androecium. Anthers are dithecous, extrorse and dehiscing, longitudinally, in Atalantia, monodelphy is found. Gynoecium: Consists of 2, 4, 5 or indefinite number of carpels. Ovary is more or less deeply grooved, superior, syncarpous, multilocular, each locule with 1 or 2 ovules with ventral raphe

1and set in axile placentation. Sometimes, carpels are free at the base and united above the style.

Ovary in Feronia is unilocular with several parietal placentae. Carpels are free in Zanthoxylum,

Correa, Evodia etc. Style is short, often somewhat gynobasic. Stigma is capitates.

Fruits: Fruit is capsule (Ruta) or berry called hesperidium. In Spathalia, fruit is winged drupe.

In Feronia and Aegle, the fruit is amphisarca with woody rind. Seeds may or may not have

endosperm. These are winged in Choloroxylon. In Citrus, polyembryony is common.

Floral formula: Br K(5) C5 A 5+5G (2) Murraya sp.

Floral diagram:

Murraya sp.

Economic Importance

1. The family is important for its vitamin C rich fruits of Citrus and a few others like

Citrus aurantifolia (lime, nimbu), C. aurantifolia (sweet lime), C. auranticum (bitter

orange), C. decumana L. (shaddock, chakotra), C. limon (L), C. medica L., C. paradise

(grape fruit), C. reticulate (mandarin, santara), C. sinensis (L.), C. aurantiumL. (sweet

orange, musambi), Aegle marmelos (bael), Feronia elephantum (wood apple) etc.

2. Most of the fruits are eaten raw or after making their preparation in confectionaries,

pickles etc.

3. Aromatic fruit pulp of Aegle marmelos is a good remedy for dysentery and other

stomach disorders. It is also used as drinks. Its root and bark are given in the intermittent

fever.

4. The fruit pulp of Feronia elephantumis used as a substitute of bael in treating diarrhea

and dysentery.

25. The root bark of Toddalia asiaticais used in the treatment of malaria, cough and influenza, and that of Dictamnus albus in intermittent fever and nervous diseases. Glycosmis pentaphyllais used to cure cough, jaundice, rheumatism etc.

6. The bark of Zanthoxylum armatum (tejpat) is carminative and anthelmintic and used as condiment.

7. Fruits of Z. nitidumare used as condiment. Leaves of Murraya koenigii (meetha neem) are aromatic and are used for flavoring curries.

8. Several species are grown in gardens for their foliage and fragrant flowers, e.g Murraya exotica L. (orange jasmine), Ruta graveolens L. (common rue), Skimmia arborescens, Dictamnus albus L. etc.