Difference Between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae

The key difference between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae is that Fabaceae is a family of flowering plants that produce a typical fruit called legume while Solanaceae is a family of flowering plants that bear five segmented flowers and produce toxic alkaloids, and Liliaceae is a family of monocotyledonous flowering plants that bear six segmented flowers.

Fabaceae, Solanaceae and Liliaceae are three families of flowering plants. Both Fabaceae and Solanaceae include dicotyledonous plants with taproot systems. Liliaceae plants are monocotyledonous plants with a fibrous root system. All three plant families have economically important species. Fabaceae plants have root nodules with fix atmospheric nitrogens. Therefore, they are used as soil improvers. Solanaceae plants produce toxic alkaloids. They have five segmented complete flowers. Liliaceae plants produce six segmented complete flowers.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Fabaceae
3. What is Solanaceae
4. What is Liliaceae
5. Similarities Between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae
6. Side by Side Comparison – Fabaceae vs Solanaceae vs Liliaceae in Tabular Form
7. Summary

What is Fabaceae?

Fabaceae or Leguminosae is a family of flowering plants. It is the third-largest flowering plant family. It is also known as the pea family or legume family. There are more than 18,000 species in this family. This family of plants are characterized by their compound leaves which are pinnately compound and typical fruit called legume or pod. Most legumes are dehiscent fruits. These dry fruits split open along two seams in order to release seeds to the environment.

Fabaceae plants are mostly perennials or annual herbs. There are trees, shrubs and vines as well. The majority of leguminous species are economically and agriculturally important. Soybeans (Glycine max), garden peas (Pisum sativum), peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), lentil (Lens culinaris), chickpea (Cicer arietinum), beans (Phaseolus) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa) are some of the most important commercial leguminous species. Leguminous plants and their products show a vast range of uses.  Many species provide foods and drinks. Certain species are used as pharmaceuticals and biofuels. There are three subfamilies in this family. They are papilionoideae, caesalpinioideae and mimosoideae.

What is Solanaceae?

Solanaceae is a family of flowering plants. It is also known as the potato family or nightshade family. Solanaceae plants have different varieties, ranging from annual and perennial herbs to vines, lianas, epiphytes, shrubs, and trees. Many species of Solanaceae are economically important as crops, spices, medicinal plants, ornamental plants and weeds. Plants such as tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, bell and chilli peppers, etc. are good food sources. Chilli is also used as a spice.  The tobacco plant is important since its leaves are a major source of drugs. Some species are medicinally important. Moreover, some plants are ornamentals. Many species produce toxic alkaloids.

Solanaceae flowers are complete flowers with five petals, sepals, and stamens. The leaves of plants show an alternate arrangement. Some examples of Solanaceae plants include potato, eggplant, tomato, peppers, tobacco, belladonna, the poisonous jimsonweed, nightshades and many garden ornamentals, such as the genera Browallia, Brugmansia, Brunfelsia, Cestrum, Datura, Lycium and Nicotiana, etc.

What is Liliaceae?

Liliaceae is another flowering plant family. This family is also known as the lily family. They are monocotyledon plants. Hence, they have a fibrous root system. Their flowers are complete and six segmented. Therefore, flowers have six petals, six sepals and six stamens. Fruits are three-chambered capsules.

Some Liliaceae species like Asparagus are food sources. Moreover, some species such as Aloe vera, Smilax and Colchicine, etc. are medicinally important. There are ornamental plants as well in this family. Not only that, some parts of certain plants are used as flavouring agents.

What are the Similarities Between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae?

• Fabaceae, Solanaceae and Liliaceae are three flowering plant families.
• They bear complete flowers.
• They produce fruits and seeds.
• All three families consist of plants that are food sources.
• Moreover, these families include medicinally important plants.

What is the Difference Between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae?

Fabaceae is a family of flowering plants that produce a fruit called a legume. Solanaceae is a family of flowering plants in which many species contain potent alkaloids which are toxic. Liliaceae is a family of flowering plants which bear six segmented flowers and three-chambered capsules. So, this is the key difference between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae. Moreover, both Fabaceae and Solanaceae plants are dicot plants, while Liliaceae plants are monocots. Thus, this is also a key difference between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae.

The below infographic presents more differences between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Fabaceae vs Solanaceae vs Liliaceae

Fabaceae plants are dicotyledonous flowering plants that produce a fruit named legume or pod. Solanaceae plants are dicotyledonous flowering plants. Most species contain potent alkaloids, which are toxic. Liliaceae plants are monocotyledonous flowering plants. They have characteristic six segmented flowers and three-chambered capsules. Thus, this summarizes the difference between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae.

Reference:

1. “Solanaceae, Liliaceae and Fabaceae Family- An Overview.” BYJUS, 11 Sept. 2020, Available here.
2. “Liliaceae.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 28 Feb. 2021, Available here.
3. “Fabaceae.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Flowering kudzu” By Photo by Peggy Greb. – released by the Agricultural Research Service, the research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture, with the ID k9675-1 (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Brugmansia lg” (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia
3. “Lilium Martagon, Lai Blau” By Tinelot Wittermans (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia