Cruciferous. Cruciferous: flower formula, characteristic features and meaning of plants of the family What is the role of cruciferous in human life

17.07.2020

What is the meaning of cruciferous in nature and human life, you will learn from this article.

The value of cruciferous

Plants of the cruciferous family are characterized by a similar structure of the fruit and flower. The flower consists of calyxes and 4 sepals. The corolla has 4 free petals, which are located crosswise, 6 stamens and a pistil. The fruit is formed in the pistil. Cruciferous flowers form an inflorescence brush. The fruit is a short pod or a long pod. The leaves are arranged alternately, and the stipules are completely absent. Most of the plants are herbaceous.

The value of the cruciferous family is determined by their specific features and structure. Some plants in their composition have substances with a sharp taste and strong aroma (horseradish, radish, mustard). Others contain sulfur, oils, vitamins (cabbage). Representatives of the cruciferous family are used as oilseeds, vegetables, medicinal, melliferous, spicy and ornamental plants. Also among them there are weeds, with which there is a constant struggle.

The value of cruciferous in human life

The economic importance of cruciferous plants in human life is very great. Most of them are vegetables. An important role is played by cabbage - cabbage, cauliflower, kohlrabi, Brussels sprouts, broccoli. A person also eats other cruciferous vegetables: radish, turnip, swede and radish. From the roots of horseradish makes a delicious seasoning. Oil is produced from mustard seeds, and what remains after pressing is ground into powder for table mustard and mustard plasters.

Medicinal value of representatives of the cruciferous family

In medicine, the use of mustard is very popular. First of all, mustard plasters are made from it for sciatica, gout and rheumatism. Mustard alcohol is effective for rheumatism, sprains, muscle pain, and dislocations. Mustard compresses are especially popular for catarrh of the bronchi. We already wrote that seasoning is made from mustard. And not in vain. Seasoning also has a healing effect. It promotes digestion and helps the body absorb fatty foods. It is especially useful for the elderly, as mustard powder improves metabolism. Another medicinal plant among the cruciferous is shepherd's purse. It is a blood purifier. Shepherd's purse and horsetail tea is drunk for rheumatism, cough and gout. In addition, this plant helps with diseases of the biliary system and liver. Gargle with a decoction of the throat and wash the wounds. Shepherd's purse herb is effective for sugar ailment.

Cruciferous leaves are arranged alternately on the stem or collected in a basal rosette. The root system is pivotal. Some plants develop roots.

Cruciferous tissues contain special essential oils, which give them a specific cabbage-rare taste. Hence the second name of the plants of this class is Cabbage.

Flower

All cruciferous flowers have a similar flower structure: 4 sepals, 4 petals arranged crosswise, 6 stamens (4 long and 2 short) and 1 pistil. The cruciform arrangement of the parts of the calyx and corolla gave the name to this family - Cruciferae. The structure of a cruciferous flower can be expressed as a formula H 4 L 4 T 4 + 2 P 1. Corolla petals yellow or white. Less common are species with purple or pink flowers, such as levkoy and evening.

Small cruciferous flowers are collected in an inflorescence brush, which is clearly visible to insects.

Fruit

Cruciferous fruits are pods or pods (short pods). Seeds in fruits are not located on the valves, but on a membranous partition. Brassicas have a variety of adaptations for seed dispersal. Fruits with lionfish are carried by the wind over long distances. Some species have outgrowths on the fruits - hooks that cling to animal hair. There are plants, for example, a rough core, in which seeds are scattered.

wild cruciferous

Common colza and wild radish grow in open places in fields, meadows. Their yellow flowers contain a lot of nectar, which attracts insects. In the fields, these species are weeds and compete with cultivated plants. Among the cruciferous there are other weeds: field yarutka, medicinal walker, shepherd's bag.

Many wild cruciferous plants are not only good honey plants, but also valuable medicinal plants. For example, shepherd's bag has a hemostatic effect jaundice and core contain substances that are part of the heart drops.

Some wild species of the family have become rare and need protection. About 20 species are listed in the Red Book of Russia, for example core purple, fragrant left.material from the site

Cultivated cruciferous

Among the cruciferous plants, there are many valuable vegetable plants - these are cabbage, turnip, radish, radish. Swede and turnip- fodder crops, their root crops are rich in vitamins. Used to make hot spices horseradish, mustard. from seed colza, rapeseed,camelina get valuable oils. The most early-ripening vegetable, which gives fresh greens rich in vitamins and microelements 20-25 days after sowing, is watercress. Some cruciferous plants are used as ornamental plants, for example levkoy, alyssum, evening party.

European turnip - it is a biennial plant of the genus Cabbage. Turnip roots are a valuable food product. Long before the use of cabbage and potatoes, it was used in Russia fresh, steamed, baked. Now turnips are undeservedly forgotten and are almost never used in Russian cuisine.

Pictures (photos, drawings)

On this page, material on the topics:

Cruciferae are one of the most easily recognizable families of the Dicotyledonous class. They got their name for the shape of the flower, in which 4 petals and 4 sepals are arranged crosswise. Fruit type and flower are constant across all 3200 species that make up the family list.

What characteristics are characteristic of plants of the cruciferous family

life forms

Most cruciferous representatives are perennial and annual herbs. Several species are shrubs and semi-shrubs.

Flower

A flower always has 4 petals and 4 sepals. Most cruciferous flowers bloom with yellow or white flowers, but pink, red, dark brown petals are also found. Flower formula P4 L4 T4 + 2 P1.

Rice. 1. Diagram and formula of cruciferous flower.

The flower has 4 long and 2 short stamens and 1 pistil.

The flowers are collected in an inflorescence brush.

fruit type

For all representatives of the cruciferous family, fruits are characteristic:

pod;
pod.

The length of the pod exceeds the width by at least 4 times.

In pods - no more than 3 - 4 times.

Rice. 2. The fruits of cruciferous pod and pod.

The variety of fruits is manifested in the number of seeds and in the nature of the opening of the fruit. Many pods open with two doors. Some fruits of the family do not open, but break up into segments. There are also single-seeded fruits.

Seeds without endosperm.

The leaves of cruciferous plants are usually collected in a rosette.

Spreading

3200 cruciferous species are grouped into 350 genera. Distributed in non-tropical regions of America and Eurasia. Especially many species are found in the Andes, Central Asia and the Mediterranean.

Economic importance

The most significant cruciferous vegetables in the economy are vegetables:

cabbage;
radish;
radish;
turnip;
turnip;
swede.

Cabbage in many European countries ranks first among vegetables in terms of crop area. Very popular in national cuisines many peoples. There are a lot of forms and varieties of cabbage. The most common:

white-headed, or garden;
Beijing;
colored;
savoy;
kohlrabi.

Cabbage was highly valued already in ancient civilizations - Egypt, Rome, Greece. The great Pythagoras was engaged in its selection. According to Roman mythology, cabbage is a drop of sweat that fell from the head of the god Jupiter.

Daikon is the most popular cruciferous vegetable in Japan. This is one of the subspecies of radish.

Turnip is a valuable fodder plant. In our time, varieties used in human nutrition have appeared.

Most vegetables use a root vegetable. A head of cabbage is a giant apical bud.

Due to the high fat content in the seeds, camelina and rapeseed are used for oil production.

In pre-revolutionary Russia, camelina oil was very popular. It is useful and has a good effect on the growth of the child. After the spread of sunflower, it became rare.

Mustard and horseradish are popular as condiments. They improve digestion, so they are good to eat with heavy meals (meat).

There are many weeds among cruciferous plants:

shepherd's bag;
field yarutka;
descurainia;
walker;
colza and others.

Rice. 3. Wild plants of the cruciferous family.

There are also a lot of medicinal plants in this family. It:

medicinal walker;
jaundice levokoy;
shepherd's bag;
hiccup and others.

Some of these plants are toxic while others are edible. So, shepherd's purse is added to soups and borscht.

Vegetable crops are also famous healing properties. AT traditional medicine cabbage juice is used. It heals wounds and ulcers, and is used to treat diseases of internal organs.

For many diseases, horseradish root and black radish are used.

Examples of decorative cruciferous plants are:

levkoy (mattiola);
evening party;
lacfiol.

What have we learned?

Studying this topic in the 7th grade, we gave general characteristics cruciferous family. The main features by which the plant belongs to this family are the fruit of the pod, or pod, as well as a flower with cruciform petals and sepals. There are many weeds among cruciferous plants. Some representatives are vegetable, medicinal, oilseed and ornamental crops.

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lesson type - combined

Methods: partially exploratory, problem presentation, reproductive, explanatory-illustrative.

Target:

Students' awareness of the importance of all the issues discussed, the ability to build their relationship with nature and society based on respect for life, for all living things as a unique and priceless part of the biosphere;

Tasks:

Educational: to show the multiplicity of factors acting on organisms in nature, the relativity of the concept of "harmful and beneficial factors", the diversity of life on planet Earth and the options for adapting living beings to the whole range of environmental conditions.

Developing: develop communication skills, the ability to independently acquire knowledge and stimulate their cognitive activity; the ability to analyze information, highlight the main thing in the studied material.

Educational:

Formation of an ecological culture based on the recognition of the value of life in all its manifestations and the need for a responsible, careful attitude to the environment.

Formation of understanding of the value of a healthy and safe lifestyle

Personal:

education of Russian civil identity: patriotism, love and respect for the Fatherland, a sense of pride in their homeland;

Formation of a responsible attitude to learning;

3) Formation of a holistic worldview, corresponding to the current level of development of science and social practice.

cognitive: ability to work with various sources information, convert it from one form to another, compare and analyze information, draw conclusions, prepare messages and presentations.

Regulatory: the ability to organize independently the execution of tasks, evaluate the correctness of the work, reflection of their activities.

Communicative: Formation of communicative competence in communication and cooperation with peers, older and younger in the process of educational, socially useful, teaching and research, creative and other activities.

Planned results

Subject: know - the concepts of "habitat", "ecology", "environmental factors" their influence on living organisms, "connections of living and non-living";. Be able to - define the concept of "biotic factors"; characterize biotic factors, give examples.

Personal: make judgments, search and select information; analyze connections, compare, find an answer to a problematic question

Metasubject:.

1. The ability to independently plan ways to achieve goals, including alternative ones, to consciously choose the most effective ways solving educational and cognitive problems.

2. Formation of the skill of semantic reading.

Form of organization learning activities - individual, group

Teaching methods: visual and illustrative, explanatory and illustrative, partially exploratory, independent work with additional literature and textbook, with DER.

Receptions: analysis, synthesis, conclusion, transfer of information from one type to another, generalization.

Objectives: to continue the formation of ideas about the diversity of flowering plants; introduce typical representatives of the cruciferous family; show the ecological role of plants of this family and their importance in life and economic activity person; continue the formation of skills in working with natural objects, performing a biological drawing; to form the ability to recognize plants with a determinant or identification cards.

Equipment and materials: table “Cruciferous family”, herbariums of plants of the cruciferous family, cabbage flower model, collections and dummies of fruits (collection of various pods and pods), seeds and roots of plants of the cruciferous family, school identifiers of higher plants, identification cards for recognizing plants of the cruciferous family , magnifiers.

Key words and concepts: dicotyledonous class, cruciferous family; interesting representatives of the cruciferous family; the use of plants of the family in various branches of human activity: food, fodder, honey, oil and essential oil crops; medicinal plants, weeds, dye plants, ornamental plants of the cruciferous family; ecological role of cruciferous plants.

Learning new material

Teacher's story with elements of conversation

In the last lesson, we began to study the families of plants of the dicotyledonous class.

What families belong to this class? (Cruciferous, Rosaceae, Legumes, Solanaceae, Compositae.)

What is the other name of the cruciferous family? (Ka-empty.)

What is the approximate number of plants in this family? (About 3200 plant species belonging to 350 genera. This is one of the largest families.)

Why do you think the plants of this family got such a name? (There are 4 elements of the perianth, petals of the corolla and sepals of the calyx in the flowers of plants of this family, and they are located crosswise - opposite each other.)

Where are cruciferous plants most common? (In the temperate latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, mainly in the Old World.)

Why do you think we start the study of families with cruciferous ones? (Student answers.)

Most of the plant species of this family live in the middle lane. In addition, a large number of species are used by humans as food. Let's try to determine what is the role of cruciferous plants in human life and economic activity.

Oral reports of schoolchildren

(The teacher gives the task in advance to prepare a mini-report for 2-3 minutes about one of the most interesting representatives of the cruciferous family.)

Teacher's story

Man grows different varieties cabbage for over 4000 years. Now there are about 50 species. Cabbage was known back in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome. The Mediterranean is considered the birthplace of this vegetable. The ancestor of cultivated varieties of cabbage is wild cabbage, still found in some areas of the Mediterranean. At white-headed cabbages are eaten with a shortened shoot with an unblown apical bud.

Cabbage is a biennial plant. What does it mean? (Plants that live for about 2 years and then bear fruit and die are called biennials.)

Cabbage broccoli was known to the Romans in pre-Christian times. It is customary for this cabbage to have young shoots with green inflorescences. Broccoli is very tasty and healthy due to its high protein content.

At color cabbages are eaten without chlorophyll shoots with strongly overgrown inflorescences and underdeveloped flowers on thick pedicels. Brussels cabbage in the axils of the leaves forms small cabbages used for eating.

In addition, there are many more different varieties of this plant. All of them play a huge role in human nutrition. Cabbage is especially important for people on a diet, as it is rich in fiber and promotes proper digestion.

In addition to the well-known varieties of cabbage, they are also popular kohlrabi(does not have a head, but forms a spherical thickening of the stem), savoy, leaf and fodder, lettuce, Beijing.

In addition to cabbage, cruciferous plants include a fairly large number of plants that a person eats or uses as feed for livestock. These are radish, radish, turnip, swede, turnip, daikon.

Rutabagas, turnips and turnips are now used as fodder crops, and in past centuries they were an important food product and even helped to survive crop failures.

Cruciferous also includes horseradish. The long pureed rhizomes of this plant are used as a useful seasoning for various dishes. Horseradish is not only able to increase appetite, but also has a volatile effect. This is a valuable food and vitamin plant, which is also used in medicine.

Many cruciferous plants contain a fairly large amount fat. From the seeds of rapeseed, white mustard, Sarepta mustard, Abyssinian katran, Tatar katran, colza, spring camelina are squeezed out oil for food or technical purposes. For example, rape seeds contain up to 33-50% oil.

Leaf petioles and shoots Tatar katran are eaten, and in Central Asia, flour for flatbread is prepared from its roots. Roots, leaves and young stems are also eaten. sverbig eastern, growing in the European part of Russia, in the Caucasus, in the south Western Siberia.

Roots Tatar katran

from seed mustard mustard powder is obtained, which is added as a seasoning to various dishes and flour when baking bread, and it is also used for various household purposes (in medicine, for example, for making mustard plasters, in everyday life - for washing dishes, etc.). d.).

Most cruciferous are both beautiful honey plants and essential oil plants - colza, rapeseed, woad, evening, hiccup, beetroot, mustard, etc.

Among the plants of the cruciferous family, there are many medicinal. For example, run shepherd's bag has long been used as a hemostatic agent. It is especially popular in Tibetan and Chinese medicine. shoots gray jaundice used in medicine as a cardiac and diuretic. From the herb of jaundice, the heart drug Erisid is obtained.

In the north of our country, where there is an acute problem of lack of vitamins, especially vitamin C, there is a growing arctic spoon, the leaves of which contain up to 0.2% vitamin C. northern peoples often use this herb as an antiscorbutic agent. Seeds, leaves and stems spadefoot officinalis They have a characteristic smell of garlic, for which this plant got its name. The seeds and leaves of this plant are actively used in medicine.

Plant woad dye, living in the steppes and meadows of the southern part of Russia, is used to obtain indigo paint from it.

Among decorative plants of this family can be distinguished species such as levkoy. in the wild levkoy grow in Europe, Asia and even in Australia. Varieties of this plant bred as a result of selection work are cultivated. The flowers of the cultivated levkoy are terry due to the stamens, which have changed into petals. There are two varieties: gray-haired left and two-horned left.

AT floriculture There are also known types of beetroot seaside, used for decoration of flower beds and borders. As ornamental plants, they also grow garden wallflower, bare-stemmed pariah, reviving moonlight and evening violet.

Plants of the cruciferous family are especially valued in floriculture for their pleasant delicate aroma. In many plants, it tends to intensify at night.

Ecological the role of cruciferous is that they are beautiful honey plants, which plays a crucial role not only in human economic activity, but also in life natural communities. Most honey plants bloom throughout the growing season - from spring to late autumn. They are an important food source for many pollinating insects.

weeds, active both in wet and dry seasons and requiring special methods of dealing with them in fields and meadows are colza, jaundice, yarutka, sverbiga, wild radish, shepherd's purse.

Creative task. Sketch all areas of use of plants of the cruciferous family.

Assignments for students interested in biology.

Make identification cards for recognizing plants in the biology room. In this case, only external (phenotypic) signs that are clearly visible should be taken into account.

Prepare a report on interesting plants of the Rosaceae family, on the features of their structure and on the economic use of these plants.

O.A. Kornilov, V.S. Kuchmenko Biology: Grade 6: a textbook for students of educational institutions

Serebryakova T.I., Elenevsky A. G., Gulenkova M. A. et al. Biology. Plants, Bacteria, Fungi, Lichens. Trial textbook grades 6-7 high school

N.V. Preobrazhenskaya Biology workbook for the textbook by V. V. Pasechnik “Biology Grade 6. Bacteria, fungi, plants

V.V. Pasechnik. Teacher's Guide educational institutions Biology lessons. 5th-6th grades

Kalinina A.A. Lesson developments in biology Grade 6

Vakhrushev A.A., Rodygina O.A., Lovyagin S.N. Checking and test papers to

textbook "Biology", 6th grade

Presentation Hosting

Brassicas are so close to capers that it is not always easy to draw a line between them. Some genera, such as the genus dipterygium(Dipterygium), some botanists include it in the caper family, and others in the cruciferous family. The family contains up to 380 genera and about 3200 species. They are scattered across the globe extremely uneven. Mostly concentrated in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, mainly in the Old World. In the tropics, they are represented by single genera confined to mountainous areas; they are also found there as introductions and as weeds. A small number of cruciferous plants growing in southern hemisphere, has narrow-local confinement.

Distribution and habitats

Brassicas successfully adapt to a wide variety of habitats. Some of them are confined to the extreme conditions of the highlands, reaching the boundaries of vegetation (4500-5700 m above sea level), where, together with lichens, they are the pioneers of the vegetation cover; others grow along the sea coasts; some in their distribution move far to the north and are characteristic of the Arctic regions; others are inhabitants of deserts, semi-deserts and steppes. Brassicaceae are also widely represented in forests, among steppe vegetation, in moist places and even in water, but plants of arid and dry habitats definitely predominate among them. However, despite such high plasticity in adapting to environmental conditions, there is a relatively small variety of life forms. Most cruciferous are annual or perennial herbs, there are also semi-shrubs, in which the lower part of the stem is woody. Shrubs are represented by single, predominantly African and Macaronesian species, such as, for example, katran shrub(Crambe fruticosa) on the island of Madeira, reaching a height of 2 m, species of the genus synapidendron(Sinapidendron, Macaronesia), heliophila gray(Heliophila glauca - Cape) or Foleyola Billot(Foleyola billotii - Sahara), reaching a height of up to 1.5-2 m. Species such as heliophila climbing(H. scandens), and species of the South American genus kremolobus(Cremolobus) habitually approach lianas. Many of the alpine species are cushion-shaped to help retain heat.

Structure and appearance

Cruciferous leaves are alternate, with the lower ones often forming a basal rosette. Some species show heterophylly. For example, at bug-bug pierced-leaved(Lepidium perfoliatum) rosette leaves are dissected into narrow linear lobes, while stem leaves are entire, round, stem-covering. Among cruciferous plants, plants are found both completely naked and pubescent with simple or forked or star-branched hairs. Multi-beamed stellate hairs often resemble scales. Glandular hairs and the so-called malpighian hairs are also involved in pubescence - prostrate, bifid, attached in the middle. The cruciferous are characterized by apical racemose or corymbose, usually (or with rare exceptions) leafless inflorescences, which are sometimes very short, almost capitate, or, conversely, elongated, spike-shaped.

Rice. 1. Plants of the cruciferous order

Kerguelen cabbage (Pringlea antiscorbutica): 1 - general form plants with fruits; 2 - flower. Caulanthus inflatus (Caulanthus inflatus): 3 - general view of the plant with fruits. Geococcus tiny (Geococcus pusillus): 4 - general view of a plant with underground fruits

American has an unusual appearance caulanthus swollen(Caulanthus inflatus, Fig. 1), in which the axis of the inflorescence is strongly fusiform thickened and the flowers sitting on it, and then the fruits, give the impression of caulifloria. The flowers are usually devoid of both bracts and bracts, not large, often very small, inconspicuous, but many also beautifully colored, giving the plant a great decorative effect. In their structure, they are extremely uniform. The sepals, arranged in two circles (2 each), may be saccular at the base, and in such cases nectar flows into these receptacles. There are also 4 petals, free, arranged crosswise (hence the name cruciferous). The color of the petals is dominated by yellow and white, but plants with purple, pinkish, up to purple flowers are also not uncommon. The petals are generally wider in the upper part. They are in most cases whole or notched, but among the cruciferous there are also species with lobed (North American genus warea- Warea), pinnately dissected and even ciliate-fringed (in Mexican ornithocarps- Ornithocagra, for example) with petals.

Stamens usually 6, arranged in 2 circles. Of these, 2 lateral (outer circle) are short, 4 median are longer. Sometimes the median ones grow together in two of their threads. In rare cases, all stamens are the same length or 3 different lengths. Their number can sometimes be reduced to 4 and even to 2, or, as in Strider(Macropodium), reaches 10. In a number of species, the stamens are equipped with appendages, or their filaments grow in the form of teeth and wings. Gynoecium of 2 carpels. A false septum is formed along the seam of the fusion of the carpels, dividing the ovary into 2 nests. Usually the ovary is sessile, but in some species it sits on a rather long gynophore (similar to capers). The structural features of the ovules play an important role in the taxonomy of cruciferous plants. The cotyledons are usually flat, but they can also be folded lengthwise, like a cabbage, less often folded across, like a cabbage. heliophiles(Heliophila), or spirally twisted ( sverbiga- Bunyas). According to the location of the root of the embryo in relation to the cotyledons, they are marginal and dorsal.

Rice. 2. Various forms of fruits in cruciferous

1 - prostrate muricaria (Muricaria prostrata); 2 - bow-legged tizanocarpus (Thysanocagrus curvipes); 3 - pretty winged grass (Acthionema pulchellum); 4 - Arabian winged grass (A. arabicum); 5 - bird-billed woad (Isatis ornithorhynchus); 6 - giant large-fruited (Megacagraea gigantea); 7 - curved enarthrocarpus (Enarthrocagrus arcuatus); 8 - bubble vesicle (Coluteocagrus vesicaria); 9 - Besser's woad (Isatis besseri); 10 - Syrian strong fruit (Euclidium syriacum); 11 - pierced-leaved vole (Myagrum perfiliatum); 12 - folded pterygoid (Acthionima diastrophis); 13 - horned pugionium (Pugionium cornatum); 14 - hairy tauscheria (Tauscheria lasiocagra); 15 - Leman's woolly fruit (Lachnoloma lehmannii); 16 - Fedchenko's double (Didymophysa fedtschenkoana); 17 - tetrakmidion Bukhara (Tetracmidion bucharicum); 18 - anchor tetrakmidion (T. glochidiatum); 19 - Pamir tetra (Tetracme pamirica); 20 - bent tetrakm (T. recurvata)

If the structure of all other organs of the cruciferous is rather uniform, then this cannot be said about their fruits, the structural features of which are most widely used in the taxonomy of the family (Fig. 2). Elongated fruits, the length of which significantly exceeds the width, are called pods, while the short ones are called pods. Both of them can be drop-down two doors or non-open. In opening fruits, after the valves fall off, a frame remains on the stalks (like in some capers), constricted by a false septum. Very popular, for example, are species lunar(Lunaria), whose frames of large oval pods are very decorative. In non-opening pods, the valves are often strongly compacted and the pods become nut-shaped. Of particular interest are two-membered fruits, consisting of an upper, always non-opening segment and a lower opening or non-opening one. In some cases, the upper segment is seedless, in others the lower, in most cases both segments contain seeds. Among the two-membered fruits, pods or pods are also distinguished. Cruciferous fruits also vary greatly in size, shape of valves and various outgrowths on them.

Flower pollination methods

Brassicas are adapted to both cross-pollination and self-pollination. The main pollinators are flies, bees, bumblebees; some types, for example levkoy(Matthiola) or evening party(Hesperis), pollinated at night by butterflies. Bees are attracted to the smell of honey species, as well as the most colorful flowers. Those species in which the flowers are small, inconspicuous, are visited mainly by flies. Attracting insects is also achieved by color contrasts, sometimes arising in the process of flowering and fruiting. So, in some species with inconspicuous small flowers, for example, stoneflies(Erophila), small white petals of the lower flowers of the inflorescence that begin to bear fruit do not fall off, but double in size and press against immature fruits that have a purple hue. This creates, as it were, a halo around the flowers that begin to bloom. In another case, for example, field yarutki(Thlaspi arvense), in which the flowers are also small, white, in fading flowers the sepals become yellow. Species Iberian women(Iberis) showiness is provided by much larger outer petals of the marginal flowers of the inflorescence, like many umbrellas. In some species walker(Sisymbrium), beetroot(Alyssum) teeth(Dentaria) this effect is achieved due to the fact that the petals of flowers with already set fruits do not fall off, they begin to increase in size, thereby attracting insects to the rest of the blossoming flowers.

Cross-pollination in cruciferous plants is ensured by their inherent dichogamy. Most of them are characterized by protogyny, protandry is extremely rare. In cases where cross-pollination cannot occur for any reason (heavy rains, extreme heat, lack of pollinators), crucifers pollinate due to the ability to self-pollinate (autogamy). The mechanism of combined pollination can be observed, for example, in field mustard(Sinapis arvensis) or meadow core(Cardamine pratense). At the beginning of flowering, the anthers of long stamens turn outward, as a result of which their pollen does not fall on the stigma of its flower, but can stick to the sides of pollinating insects that penetrate deep into the flower to the base of the stamens for nectar. However, if the stigma was not pollinated by foreign pollen, then by the end of flowering it is pollinated by short stamens, which during this time reach the same level with it. In inclement weather, when there are no insects, the anthers of long stamens do not turn away and pollinate the stigma of their flower. Among the cruciferous plants, there are also such plants in which, at the beginning of flowering, the stamens completely deviate outwards, and then rise, bring the anthers closer to the stigma and pollinate it. At watercress(Lepidium sativum), petiole garlic(Alliaria petiolata), briar alpine(Braya alpina) at the beginning of flowering, all stamens are shorter than the stigma, then 4 of them elongate and come into contact with the anthers of the stigma. However, only one stamen empties pollen onto its stigma, the rest of the anthers open later, saving the pollen for cross-pollination.

Examples can also be given where self-pollination predominates in some species of the same genus, and cross-pollination in others. So, alpine yarutka(Thlaspi alpina) is always capable of self-pollination, since towards the end of flowering, the stamens bend over the stigma. And vice versa, mountain yarutka(T. montana) is predominantly cross-pollinated, since in most plants the stamens are shorter than the stigma. Exceptionally cross-pollinating plants can be found in rezuhi Constanta(Arabis constancii): their stigmas are exposed from the bud even before the blooming of the flower and later, when the stamens reach its level, it turns away from them so that it cannot be pollinated by their pollen. In such plants, the possibility of self-pollination is also excluded by the biochemical incompatibility of pollen and the surface of the stigma - its own pollen does not germinate.

Among cruciferous plants, there are also purely self-pollinating plants. These include species of the Australian genus never visited by insects. stenopetalum(Stenopetalum), which sometimes even form cleistogamous flowers. This can be seen as an adaptation to the harsh conditions of Western and Southern Australia, which do not always favor pollination. In another Australian plant - geococcus tiny(Geococcus pusillus, Fig. 1) - all flowers are cleistogamous. Thanks to long, downward-pointing pedicels, they burrow into the ground and bear fruit there (geocarp). Partial cleistogamy is characteristic of the Brazilian mariel core(Cardamine chenopodiifolium), in which, in addition to the normal flowers of the apical inflorescence, cleistogamous flowers are formed at the base of the stem, which also burrow into the ground. In rare cases, with excessive moisture, flooding, cleistogamy manifests itself in some species. bed bug(Lepidium) water shield(Subularia aquatica), with increased dryness - field mustard.

As a completely exceptional phenomenon for cruciferous, one can consider anemophily, which is usually observed in the apetalous kerguelen cabbage, or Pringles(Pringlea antiscorbutica, Fig. 1). Successful wind pollination of this island subantarctic species is facilitated by long stamens protruding from the flower, long filiform papillae on the stigma, and a dense spike-shaped inflorescence.

Fruits and seeds

Cruciferous plants are adapted quite differently to the distribution of fruits and seeds. Many of them are anemochores. These are mainly species with winged or bubble-like swollen fruits, many species with small, light seeds that are easily carried by the wind, or with seeds trimmed with a wing. Sometimes the upper segments of two-membered fruits fall off together with one of the valves of the lower segment or with part of the septum, which also increases the windage.

Among the cruciferous there are also a number of species that have hook-shaped outgrowths on the fruits. Because of this, they cling to the hair of animals and are carried by them. Of the zoochoric species, the myrmecochoric is very curious. bugbug blister(Lepidium vesicarium), whose plants are often concentrically arranged around anthills, as can be seen on the Ararat plain in Armenia. In some cases, the seeds are scattered due to the "effort" of the plant itself. Yes, at touchy core(Cardamine impatiens) and rough core(C. hirsuta) the pods open with such force that the seeds fly off for a considerable distance. Quite unusual is another type of core, in which, in addition to pods, brown onions form in the axils of the leaves, which, falling off, germinate. Widely known as a tumbleweed is the so-called jeriochon rose, or anastatic(Anastatica hierochimtica). This small annual plant, native to the desert regions of Western Asia and northern Africa, ripens its fruit in time for the dry season.

By this time, its numerous branches are compressed tightly and rounded flat pods remain inside the lump. Having taken on a spherical shape, the dried stem is often torn off by the wind from the root and rolls over. With the onset of rain, the wetted branches straighten again, and this is reminiscent of a blooming rose. It is then, with abundant moisture, that the pods open (hygrochasia) and scatter the seeds. Hygrochasia is generally inherent in most cruciferous fruits with difficult-to-open fruits. The seeds of non-opening fruits, protected from adverse conditions by a dense case, germinate only after it rots. For many species adapted to dry conditions, mucilage of the seed coat (myxospermia) is characteristic. The smallest soil particles stick to the mucus, which fix the seeds and protect them from drifting into unusual environmental conditions.

Rice. 3. Cruciferous (lat. Cruciferae)

Sea mustard (Cakile maritime): 1 - general view of the plant; 2 - fruits. Lancet mustard (Cakile lanceolata): 3 - branch with fruits

One of the features of many cruciferous plants, which significantly increases their adaptive capabilities, is heterocarpy in its most diverse manifestations. In some cases, the parts of the fetus differ (heteroarthrocarpy), as is observed in many species with two-membered fruits, in other cases, the fruits are entirely. Heterocarp provides combined methods of distribution, as well as more reliable preservation of seeds and the possibility of their germination under changing conditions. One of the examples of combined anthropo-, hydro- and anemochory can be the features of the distribution of two-membered fruits sea mustard(Cakile maritima) inhabiting the sea coasts (Fig. 3). Both parts of the fruit contain one seed each. The upper segments, thanks to a highly developed spongy tissue, covered on the outside with a thick leathery layer, hold well on the water and are carried by sea currents. The lower segments remain on the stems, which, after drying out, break away from the root and are rolled over by the wind.

Since sea mustard often grows near ports, the tops of its fruits often end up on ships along with the cargo and are carried over long distances. It is in this way that the "native" of the Mediterranean sea mustard is now widely distributed outside the Old World and successfully naturalized in America and Australia, where it penetrated with the first colonists. This, undoubtedly, was facilitated by its high vitality, as evidenced by one of the curious experiments of nature. In November 1963 in Atlantic Ocean, 20 miles south of Iceland, a new island was formed due to the eruption of an underwater volcano. The first vascular plant on this island was sea mustard, discovered there already in July 1965. The fruits are also distributed by sea currents. sea katrans(Crambe maritima).

No less interesting is the manifestation of heterocarpy in bicarpe protruding(Diptychocagrus strictus). This small annual, confined to desert habitats, develops three types of pods on one plant: upper, flat, easily opening with two valves, then difficult to open, ripening much later, and finally, the lowest pods, not opening, with strongly thickened valves and partition. The winged seeds of the upper pods are dispersed by the wind; pods that are difficult to open remain on the stem for a long time and lie down with it; non-opening pods fall around the mother plant and their seeds germinate only during heavy rains, when the surrounding dense tissues rot, while the unprotected seeds of the upper pods die. Among dicarp plants, specimens are sometimes found with only opening or only non-opening pods, and this often leads to scientific curiosities when they are assigned to other genera.

Heterocarpy is also well expressed in two species winged stalk(Aethionema): y winged stamen(A. heterocagra) upper pods are non-opening, unilocular, with sealed valves, the rest are opening two-nested; at fleshy wing stamen(A. carneum), on the contrary, only the lowest pods that do not open. Sand desert dweller serponosik sandy(Spirorhyncus sabulosus) at the base of the shoots has spindle-shaped fruits, which, falling, burrow into the sand. The upper curved pods are easily torn off by the wind, interlock with each other and roll in balls. Similar is observed in woads Boissier(Isatis boissieri), the upper winged pods of which are carried by the wind, the lower wingless ones fall around the plant. No less interesting in cruciferous is another variety of heterocarpy - amphicarp, observed in the Brazilian mariel core(Cardamine chenopodiifolia) and heterocarpus fernandez(Heterocagus fernandezianus) native to the Juan Fernandez Islands. In these species, along with the usual opening pods of the apical inflorescence, basal cleistogamous flowers develop, which, burrowing into the ground, form numerous one-seeded non-opening pods (geocarp). At the same time, above-ground inflorescences in unfavorable years often do not reach fruiting, while underground fruits always ripen.

Basics of cruciferous taxonomy

Numerous attempts to build a cruciferous family system have not led to the creation of a generally accepted system. Modern systems directed towards enlargement of the tribes. The most primitive cruciferous genera are included in the tribe telipodium(Thelypodieae). In many of them, the fruits sit on the gynophore and the stamens are long, protruding from the flower, which brings the cruciferous to the caper. Stanley(Stanleya), which has the most primitive features, its appearance is linked with the alleged ancestor of the cruciferous. Telipodia are distributed mainly in the Pacific Ocean. North America particularly in the Rocky Mountains. Only strider(Macropodium), growing on Sakhalin and in southern Siberia, is the only representative of the tribe outside the American mainland. To the Americas, mainly to the Pacific region South America and to Central America, two more small tribes of cruciferous are dated - schizopetal(Schizopetaleae) with characteristic pinnate or fringed petals and cream-fronted(Cremolobeae) with widely or repeatedly winged double fruits.

The most extensive central tribe gulyavnikovs(Sisymbrieae), covering the main generic and species composition families. For gulyavnikovs, a strong variation in the shape of fruits is characteristic, the general plan of the structure of which is reduced to opening and non-opening pods and pods, both with a wide and narrow partition. The main center of morphological diversity of this tribe is the Iranian-Turan floristic region, where there are about 80 endemic genera. Being widespread in the temperate zone of the northern hemisphere, the walkers are represented by a number of endemics, as well as cosmopolitan genera, in America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand. The next largest tribe - cabbage(Brassiceae), whose representatives differ sharply from other cruciferous fruits with two-membered fruits and longitudinally folded cotyledons. The main distribution center of this tribe is located in the arid regions of the Mediterranean and the adjacent desert zones of Africa and southwest Asia. Brassicaceae can also be found on various continents, but these are mainly cultivated plants or weeds.

The rest of the cruciferous tribes are geographically extremely isolated and much poorer in composition. One of the unusual cruciferous is the only representative of the tribe pringle(Pringleae) - Kerguelen cabbage, which also has prominent stamens and a long, dense spike-shaped inflorescence. Kerguelen cabbage, so named because of the large fleshy basal leaves with antiscorbutic properties, grows exclusively on the subantarctic islands of Kerguelen and Crozet, located south of indian ocean. The next two tribes are known from the Cape. One of them - hamiric(Chamireae) - represented by only one species - Hamira biloba(Chamira circaeoides) with large cotyledons, which do not fall after seed germination, grow strongly and significantly exceed the size of the stem leaves. Second South African tribe - heliophilous(Heliophilae) with double cross-folded cotyledons not found in other members of the family. Of particular interest among heliophiles are species with tree-like stems. There is also a purely Australian tribe among the cruciferous - wall-petal(Stenopetaleae), the main distinguishing feature of the only genus of which is stenopetalon(Stenopetalon) - are filiform-linear, very long petals, many times larger than tightly compressed sepals.

The economic importance of cruciferous

The economic importance of cruciferous plants can hardly be overestimated. Vegetable, oil-bearing, fodder and honey crops are among them the most widely known, but the main role belongs, of course, to cabbage in all its variety of varieties. Cabbage was cultivated in prehistoric times, and the first information about it dates back to the Neolithic. Many researchers, starting with Charles Darwin, believe that all currently existing cultural forms cabbages come from a wild-growing form garden cabbage(Brassica oleracea), others - from considered as an independent species forest cabbage(Brassica sylvestris), still others associate them with a number of Mediterranean species. Not a single plant for several millennia has provided man with such extensive material for selection as cabbage. The most popular is garden cabbage, many forms and varieties of which are cultivated on all continents.

Of these, cabbage is the main food plant in countries of temperate latitudes. The taste qualities of varieties such as kohlrabi, cauliflower and its varieties of broccoli are undeniable. Many local varieties are especially preferred by the population of certain countries. Thus, one of the oldest cultivated plants cultivated in China and Japan are Chinese cabbage(B. chinensis) and cabbage(B. pekinensis). As vegetable plants among cruciferous plants, various varieties of radish and radish(Raphanus sativus), like hot spices - horseradish(Armoracia rusticana) and mustard(Brassica juncea). One of the cultivated horticultural crops is watercress, which is grown on a large scale in the Caucasus. A number of wild-growing cruciferous plants are also used as a salad, such as, for example, spoon(Cochlearia), indau(Eruca sativa), colza(Barbarea vulgaris), watercress(Nasturtium officinale) and many others, and shepherd's bag(Capsella bursa-pastoris) has been cultivated as a vegetable in China for over 100 years.

Young shoots and petioles sea katrans, or seaweed(Crambe maritima), often used like asparagus, and in Central Asia from the roots Katran Kochi(C. kotschyana) make flour from which cakes are baked. Of great economic importance are a number of cultivated oilseeds: rape(Brassica napus var. napus), Sarepta mustard, black mustard(Brassica nigra) white mustard(Sinapis alba), camelina(Camelina saliva), Abyssinian katran(Crambe abyssinica). Of these, in temperate latitudes, the most productive oil plant is rapeseed, the seeds of which contain up to 50% oil. It has a purely technical application - it is used for hardening steels, after special treatment it vulcanizes well, forming a rubbery mass (factis), which is used to soften hard rubbers and make pencil erasers. Sarepta mustard oil has food applications, mainly in the confectionery and baking industries and in the manufacture of margarine and canned food, and the powder (cake) is table mustard.

Camelina is the only cultivated plant among the cruciferous plants that produces a semi-drying oil. It is used in soap making, for the manufacture of drying oil and as a lubricant for tractors. In the USA, as a fat-oilseed, a high-yielding Lekerella Fendler(Lesquerella fendleri), the seeds of which do not crumble and can be harvested by a combine. It is recommended in dry areas even instead of wheat. Most oilseeds are at the same time excellent honey plants. There are also many melliferous and essential oil plants among wild-growing cruciferous plants. Valuable fodder plants such as swede(Brassica napus var. napobrassica), turnip and turnip(Brassica rapa), also belong to the cruciferous family. In addition, fodder cabbage, rapeseed and bee bread (a hybrid of rapeseed and fodder cabbage) are sown as green fodder.

Due to the high content of vitamins, especially vitamin C, many cruciferous plants are widely used in traditional medicine. In some types of grass jaundice(Erysimum) contains erysimilactone, which is used in cardiac preparations. Shepherd's purse, one of the most popular plants in Tibetan and Chinese medicine, has a strong hemostatic effect. from the leaves dyer's woads(Isatis tinctoria) receive indigo dye. Various varieties are widely known in cruciferous floriculture levkoy(Matthiola incana), as well as some species beetroot seaside(Alyssurn), used in the design of flower beds and as border plants. Many wild-growing species are also highly decorative, which deserves special attention. At the same time, among the cruciferous, there are malicious weeds that require a special control regime.