Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Poaceae: Angiosperm Families

Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Poaceae: Angiosperm Families

Edited By Irshad Anwar | Updated on Oct 18, 2024 04:39 PM IST

The Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae families are important groups of flowering plants and they contribute to biodiversity and human agriculture. Each one of them has a unique character such as Asteraceae to the flowers, Poaceae to the important food production and Brassicaceae to the vegetables. Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae families are topics in Biology and they carry a weightage of 2-3% in NEET and 4-5% in CBSE and other Paramedical Exams.

Basics about Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae Families

The Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae families are unknown for their contribution to biodiversity agriculture and the ecosystem. These families are important because we use the products significantly in our daily lives. Some of the basic points about these families are discussed below:

  • The Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae families belong to the important group of flowering plants.

  • Family has contributed to important sections such as biodiversity agriculture and ecosystem.

  • Asteraceae is also known as composite flower heads as it includes species with ornamental as well as medicinal value.

  • Poaceae belong to the grass family and include important grass like rice wheat and corn.

  • Brassicaceae belongs to the mustard family and is known for its nutritional benefits and has vegetables like cabbage and broccoli.

  • These families are important for food security and environmental balance in the agriculture field.

Also Read

Habitat of Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae Families

Family members of Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae are commonly found all across the globe. Due to different climatic conditions, there is a variety of habitats present in the family. They have remarkable adaptability to climatic conditions all across the globe. Some basic habitat features of Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae are discussed below:

  • They are commonly found in diverse habitats such as tropical rainforests or temperate regions.

  • There are approximately 378 species with 138 genera which are identified in India only.

  • These are commonly found in the Himalayas and mountains of Southern and western India.

NEET Highest Scoring Chapters & Topics
Know Most Scoring Concepts in NEET 2024 Based on Previous Year Analysis
Know More

Characteristics of Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae Families

Some of the basic characteristics of Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae are discussed below in the table:

Characteristics

Asteraceae

Poaceae

Brassicaceae

Flower structure

Composite flowers

Small flowers

Four-petaled flowers

Leaf structure

Simple or compound

Long and narrow

Lobed or serrated

Fruit type

Achenes

Caryopses

Silliques or silicles


Economic Importance Of Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae Families

The economic importance of Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae is discussed below:

Family

Economic Importance

Asteraceae

  • Has medicinal plants like chamomile and echinacea

  • Also has ornamental plants like Daisy and sunflower which are used for the extraction of oil.

  • There are edible crops also present such as lettuce.

Poaceae

  • The family contains crops which are used as staple food like wheat, corn, rice and barley.

  • It is one of the good sources of fodder for the livestock.

  • Used in paper and biofuel production.

Brassicaceae

  • Has some nutritious vegetables present in the family like cabbage broccoli and mustard.

  • Contains some edible oil sources.

  • Also used for pest control and soil health.


Types of Questions Asked from Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae Families

During exam preparation, different types of questions about Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae are asked. The table below contains the different patterns of questions asked in different exams.

Exam Type

Types of Questions Asked

Weightage

CBSE

  • General characteristics of Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Brassicaceae families.

  • Examples of economically important plants from each family.

  • Adaptations of these families in different habitats.

  • Structural features (flower structure, leaf arrangement).

4%

NEET

  • Detailed morphology and anatomy of Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Brassicaceae flowers.

  • Role of Poaceae in providing staple crops (e.g., rice, wheat, corn).

  • Economic and medicinal importance of Asteraceae (e.g., chamomile, echinacea).

  • Nutritional benefits of Brassicaceae (e.g., cabbage, mustard).

5-4%

Paramedical

  • Use of Brassicaceae in nutritional and medicinal contexts (e.g., anti-cancer properties of cruciferous vegetables).

  • Importance of Poaceae for biofuel production and sustainable farming.

  • Medicinal plants from Asteraceae and their uses.

  • Impact of these families on ecosystems and environmental health.

5%


Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Asteraceae, Poaceae and Brassicaceae Families

It takes effort to remember everything in a single go. We made the entire problem easy. Some of the tricks regarding Asteraceae, Poaceae, and Brassicaceae families are given below which you can use to memorise the important points.

Asteraceae Family (Daisy/Sunflower Family)

"COF: Composite, Ornamental, Food"

  • C: Composite flowers (flower heads made of many small florets).

  • O: Ornamental plants (e.g., daisies, sunflowers for decoration).

  • F: Food plants (e.g., lettuce, artichokes).

Poaceae Family (Grass Family)

"CFR: Cereal, Fodder, Renewable"

  • C: Cereal crops (e.g., rice, wheat, corn for staple food).

  • F: Fodder for livestock (grasses as feed for animals).

  • R: Renewable resources (grasses used in biofuel production and paper-making).

Brassicaceae Family (Mustard Family)

"VEO: Vegetables, Edible oils, Organic farming"

  • V: Vegetables (e.g., cabbage, broccoli, mustard).

  • E: Edible oils (e.g., canola oil).

  • O: Used in organic farming (pest control, soil health improvement).

Also Read


Articles

Get answers from students and experts
Back to top