What is the Difference Between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae

The main difference between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae is that the family Fabaceae contains legumes that fix atmospheric nitrogen and hence improve the soil, while the family Solanaceae contains a variety of plants with agricultural importance including tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant, bell, and chili peppers, and the family Liliaceae contains lilies, which are important as ornamental and decorative pieces.

Fabaceae, Solanaceae, and Liliaceae are three families of plants with different features. The family Fabaceae and Solanaceae are dicots while the family Liliaceae is a monocot.

Key Areas Covered

1. What is Fabaceae
– Definition, Characteristics, Importance
2. What is Solanaceae
– Definition, Characteristics, Importance
2. What is Liliaceae
– Definition, Characteristics, Importance
3. Similarities Between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae
– Outline of Common Features
4. Difference Between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae
– Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Fabaceae, Liliaceae, Solanaceae

What is Fabaceae

Fabaceae is the legume family, which is a large family with agriculturally important plants. This family includes trees and shrubs that are perennials and annual herbaceous plants. Generally, the main characteristic feature of the family Fabaceae is the fruit and the stipulate leaves. 

Figure 1: Chamaecytisus hirsutus

It is the third large plant family and contains plants like beans, peas, soybeans, lentils, chickpeas, rosary peas, etc. Moreover, this legume family mainly occurs in tropical regions and less in temperate regions. Another significant feature of legumes is that they fix nitrogen and improve soil quality.

What is Solanaceae

Solanaceae is the potato plant family, which includes tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants, bell pepper, and chili peppers. It contains trees, shrubs, epiphytes, and vines of annuals and perennials. In general, Solanaceae contains 98 genera of flowering plants. 

Figure 2: Solanum sisymbriifolium

This plant family contains alkaloids and some members of the plant family are highly toxic. Moreover, the main importance of the plant family is as a food source.

What is Liliaceae

Liliaceae is another plant family that contains about 15 genera. Generally, this plant family contains monocot plants. They are also perennials and herbaceous plants. The main feature of Liliaceae is the presence of bulbous geophytes. Also, the flowers of Liliaceae are large and the petals are arranged in threes. 

Figure 3: Ornithogalum umbellatum

In general, the flower of the Liliaceae contains six colored petals. Apart from that, the family of Liliaceae is more distributed in the temperate regions of the world.

Similarities Between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae

• Fabaceae, Solanaceae, and Liliaceae are three plant families with different important features including food, agriculture, and ornamental plants.
• All three families contain flowering plants.
• Moreover, all of them are perennials.

Difference Between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae

Definition

Fabaceae refers to a large family of trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs, bearing bean pods. Solanaceae refers to the nightshades or potato family of flowering plants, while Liliaceae refers to monocotyledonous, perennial, herbaceous, and often bulbous geophytes.

Common Name

The common name of Fabaceae is the legume family, the common name of Solanaceae is the potato family, and the common name of Liliaceae is the lily family.

Examples

Fabaceae contains peas, chickpeas, and soybean, Solanaceae contains potato, tomato, and bell pepper, while Liliaceae contains onion, lily, and tulip.

Number of Cotyledons

Fabaceae is a dicotyledonous plant, Solanaceae is a dicotyledonous plant, and Liliaceae is a monocotyledonous plant.

Placentation

Moreover, Fabaceae exhibits marginal placentation while Solanaceae and Liliaceae exhibit axial placentation.

Life cycle

Fabaceae is perennials or annuals, Solanaceae is perennials, biennials, or annuals, while Liliaceae is perennials.

Plant Type

Fabaceae is trees, shrubs, vines, and herbs, Solanaceae is herbs, though some species grow as shrubs or small trees, while Liliaceae is herbs and shrubs.  

Number of Carpels

Furthermore, Fabaceae is monocarpellary, Solanaceae is bicarpellary, and Liliaceae is tricarpellary.

Fruit

Fabaceae contains a legume or pod while Solanaceae and Liliaceae contain berry or capsule.

Importance

Fabaceae fix atmospheric nitrogen and hence improve the soil, Solanaceae contains a variety of plants with agricultural importance while Liliaceae contains plants that are important as ornamental and decorative pieces.

Conclusion

In brief, Fabaceae is a family of legumes that composes of peas, chickpeas, and soybeans. It is also a dicot plant family containing perennials or annuals. Legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen and hence improve the soil. The Solanaceae family is the potato family that contains tomatoes, potatoes, and bell peppers. In addition, the family Solanaceae is a dicot plant family, containing perennials, biennials, and annuals. Apart from that, the plants in Solanaceae have agricultural importance. In comparison, the Liliaceae plant family contains the plants of the lily family such as onions, lilies, and tulips. Usually, they are perennials. Generally, these plants are important as ornamental and decorative pieces. Therefore, the main difference between Fabaceae Solanaceae and Liliaceae is the type of plants.

References:

1. “Fabaceae.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
2. “Solanaceae.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
3. “Liliaceae.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Fabaceae – Chamaecytisus hirsutus-3” By Hectonichus – Own work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Solanum sisymbriifolium ‘Sticky Nightshade‘ (Solanaceae) flower” By Magnus Manske – Own Work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia
3. ” Liliaceae – Ornithogalum umbellatum-4” By Hectonichus – Own Work (CC BY-SA 3.0) via Commons Wikimedia