SOPs: BOTANY PRACTICAL EXERCISES OF UNDERGRADUATE
STUDENTS
(DBT Life Sciences Star College Scheme, Ministry of Science &
Technology, Govt. of India)
Reaccredited with ‘A’ grade by NAAC
Compiled by
Ms. Prabhjyoti
Department of Botany
DOABA COLLEGE, JALANDHAR – 144 00 PUNJAB
1
SOPS of B.Sc.Biotechnology(Prof.)
Semester-II
Subject : Botany – B
2
CONTENTS
1. Floral study of Ranunculus muricatus (Butter cup).
2. Floral study of Delphinium ajacis (Larkspur).
3. Floral study of Brassica campestris (Sarson).
4. Floral study of Citrus aurantium (Lemon).
5. Floral study of Murraya exotica (Marua).
6. Floral study of Lathyrus odoratus (Pea).
7. Floral study of Cassia fistula(Amaltas).
8. Floral study of Acacia Arabica(Kikker).
9. Floral study of Coriandrum sativum ( Dhania).
10. Floral study of Helianthus annuus (Sunflower).
11. Floral study of Ageratum conyzoides (Ageratum).
3
Ranunculus muricatus (Buttercup)
Classification
Division
: Spermatophyta
Sub division : Angiospermae
Class
: Dicotyledonae
Sub class
: Polypetalae
Series
: Thalamiflorae
Order
: Ranales
Family
: Ranunculaceae
Genus
:
Ranunculus
Species
:
muricatus
4
Ranunculus muricatus (Buttercup)
Vegetative characters
Habit : An erect, annual, winter herb; grows in moist and shady places like river and canal bank,
flowering occur during February to April.
Root : Primary tap root short lived and is replaced by fibrous adventitious roots.
Stem: Herbaceous, green ,erect, cylindrical, hollow, branched, hairy, glabrous.
Leaves : Radical, cauline and ramal, alternate, exstipulate, leaf base expanded, sheathing
petiolate , petioles long, lamina simple, palmatifid, multicostate, reticulate, herbaceous, glabrous.
Floral characters
Inflorescence :
Flower: Ebracteate (bracteate when axillary),ebracteolate, pedicellate, complete, bisexual,
hermaphrodite, spirocyclic (hemicyclic), actinomorphic, hypogynous, pentomerous in outer two
whorls, thalamus elongated and convex.
Calyx: 5,free,greenwhen young,imbricate aestivation.odd sepal posterior ,inferior(on the outside
of sepals are found a few(3-7) long,hyaline,pointed,multicellular hairs.
Corolla: 5,polypetalous,bright yellow(shining towards the inner sideand dull yellow towards the
outer side),regular,obovate,alternisepalou,imbricate,each with a pocket shaped nectory at the
base of the upper surface,inferior.
Androecium : indefinite,polyandrous spirally arranged on an elongated thalamus,filaments
long,anthers basifixed,bithecous, yellow,dehiscenced by long slits,extrose,inferior.
Gynoecium : polycarpellary,apocarpous, spirallyarranged on thalamus
,unilocular,uniovuled,superior ovary,placentation basal,ovary wall tuberculate and not hairy
,style single and short,stigma beaked.
Fruit : etaerio of achenes. Achenes flattened and bear tubercles on the pericarp.
Seed: endospermic, embryo small and straight.
5
Delphinium ajacis (Larkspur)
Classification
Division
Sub division
Class
Sub class
Series
Order
Family
Genus
Species
6
: Spermatophyta
: Angiospermae
: Dicotyledonae
: Polypetalae
: Thalamiflorae
: Ranales
: Ranunculaceae
: Delphinium
: ajacis
Delphinium ajacis ( Larkspur)
Vegetative characters
Habit : Cultivated, ornamental, annual herb. Flowering occurs in January to March.
Root : Primary tap root is branched and fibrous.
Stem: Herbaceous, green ,erect, cylindrical, aerial, hairy.
Leaves :Cauline and ramal, alternate, exstipulate, sessile and subsessile, hairy, simple,
pinnatisect, lobes linear with acute apex, herbaceous.
Floral characters
Inflorescence : Simple , typical raceme.
Flower: Bracteate, pedicellate, complete,perfect bisexual, hermaphrodite, spirocyclic
zygomorphic,spurred, hypogynous,variously coloured.s
Calyx: 5,free, polysepalous, pentaloid (violet), posterior sepal produced into a long and straight
spur,imbricate,inferior .
Corolla: 4,gamopetalous,two postero-lateral petals produced into a spur lodged in the spur of the
calyx. Anterior petal is absent. Stamen and carpels are enclosed in the antero-lateral petals. Spur
contains honey, inferior.
Androecium : Indefinite, polyandrous spirally arranged in five groups of 3 stamens each
alternating with the petals ,filaments flattened, anthers basifixed, dehiscenced
longitudinal,extrose.
Gynoecium : Monocarpellary, superior ,unilocular, marginal placentation with many
ovules,style short but curved, stigma simple,capitates or hairy. The wall of ovary has two types
of hairs, which is the characteristic taxonomic feature of Delphinium. These are:
Long,tubular,unicellular hairs & Flask shaped hair with swollen base, long neck and with a
distinct basal neck.
Fruit : A follicle.
Seed: Endospermic with small embryo.
7
Brassica campestris (sarson)
Classification
Division
Sub division
Class
Sub class
Series
Order
Family
Genus
Species
8
: Spermatophyta
: Angiospermae
: Dicotyledonae
: Polypetalae
: Thalamiflorae
: Parietales
: Brassicaceae
: Brassica
: campestris
Brassica campestris (Sarson)
Vegetative characters
Habit : An annual or biennial herb of winter cultivated in the fields for its oil yielding seeds and
as pot herb.
Root : Branched tap root.
Stem: Young plants have reduced stem but later on becomes erect and branched, cylindrical,
herbaceous above, woody below, hollow, green, glabrous , hairy.
Leaves :Young plants have radical leaves but in older plants it is cauline and ramal. Leaves
simple, lyrate, exstipulate sessile or subsessile, lower leaves incised and lyrate, upper leaves
ovate or ovate lanceolate or auriculate, hairy, herbaceous, reticulate, unicostate.
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Floral characters
Inflorescence : Corymbose raceme.
Flower: Ebracteate, ebracteolate, pedicellate, complete, regular, actinomorphic, bisexual,
hypogynous, cyclic, yellow.
Calyx: 4 free, polysepalous in two whorls, outer whorl antero-posterior, the two lateral form
inner whorl and ars saccate with a pouch like structure at the base to store nector, green or
yellowish green, lanceolate, margin of sepal entire, apex acute, inferior.
Corolla: 4, free ,polypetalous,cruciform, clawed, longer than trhe sepals, spreading , valvate,
yellow with entire or slightly extrose margin, inferior.
Androecium : 6 polyandrous, tetradynamous, 4 longer stamens form antero-posterior pairs and
are arranged in an inner whorl and two small lateral stamens form the outer whorl,. Anthers
basifixed bithecous, dehiscence longitudinal with longer extrose anthers and shorter introse
anthers; four distinct green dot like nector glands are present at the base of the outer and inner
paired stamens, inferior.
Gynoecium : Bicarpellary, syncarpous, superior ovary unilocular becomes bilocular by the
formation of false septum called replum parietal placentation, many ovules, style short curved,
stigma bifid.
Fruit : A siliqua.
Seed: Non endospermic, many, small in size withnconduplicate(folded) cotyledons.
Citrus aurantium (orange)
Classification
Division
Sub division
Class
Sub class
Series
Order
Family
Genus
Species
10
: Spermatophyta
: Angiospermae
: Dicotyledonae
: Polypetalae
: Disciflorae
: Geraniales
: Rutaceae
: Citrus
: aurantium
Citrus aurantium (orange)
Habit : A small tree cultivated in India for its edible fruits & medicinal properties.
Root : Branched tap root.
Stem: Aerial, erect, branched, solid, woody green, glabroeus.
Leaves :Evergreen, cauline and ramal , alternate exstipulate, petiolate , winged petiole,
compound unifoliate actually trifoliate but the two lateral leaflets fall off leaving a scar, terminal
leaflet unicostate reticulate, gland dotted, glaucous. A spine is present in the axil of each leaf
which is the modified first leaf of the suppressed axillary shoot.
Floral characters
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Inflorescence : Solitary axillary or group of flowers in axillary position.
Flower: Ebracteate, ebracteolate, pedicellate, complete, regular, actinomorphic, bisexual,
pentamerous, hypogynous, cyclic, white & scented.
Calyx: 5, gamosepalous, cup shaped,pentafid, green , gland dotted, reflexed, inferior.
Corolla: 5, polypetalous, petals lanceolate, sweet scented, gland dotted, white, imbricate;
alternating with the sepals; inferior.
Androecium: Many in one whorl, polyadelphous filaments united into groups at the base.
Bithecous, dorsifixed anthers, introse longitudinal dehiscence, yellow anther lobes, inferior.
Gynoecium : Polycarpellary syncarpous, superior , multilocular ovary with axile placentation ,
style short, stigma capitates, a large honey screting disc present below the ovary. Ovules many in
each loculus.
Fruit : A berry(Hesperidium).
Seed: Many endospermic, testa mucilaginous.
Murraya exotica (Marua)
Classification
Division
Sub division
Class
Sub class
Series
Order
Family
Genus
Species
12
: Spermatophyta
: Angiospermae
: Dicotyledonae
: Polypetalae
: Disciflorae
: Geraniales
: Rutaceae
: Murraya
: exotica
Murraya exotica (Marua)
Habit : Evergreen small cultivated ornamental tree.
Root : Branched tap root.
Stem: Aerial, erect,cylindrical, branched, solid, woody , glabrous.
Leaves :Evergreen, cauline and ramal , exstipulate, petiolate , imparipinnate, 3-7 pinna.
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Leaflets: Alternate, shortly stalked, ovate, obovate or Rhomboidal, entire acute apex dark green
shining above, unicostate reticulate.
Floral characters
Inflorescence : Solitary axillary or solitary terminal.
Flower: Ebracteate, ebracteolate, pedicellate, pentamerous, complete, regular, actinomorphic,
bisexual, hypogynous with a distinct nector secreting disc below the ovary, cyclic, highly
fragrant, greenish white or white.
Calyx: 5, gamosepalous, pentapartite, green , small, inferior.
Corolla: 5, free,oblong-lanceolate, sweet scented, gland dotted, greenish white, fragrant,
reflexed with spreading above, imbricate, entire, acute apex, alternisepalous, inferior.
Androecium: 10, polyandrous, diplostemonous, the outer 5 alternating with the petals & inner 5
opposite the petals, the filaments of outer stamens are longer than those of inner stamens, anthers
bithecous, basifixed, young anthers hairy, dehiscence longitudinal introrse, inferior.
Gynoecium : Bicarpellary syncarpous, ovary superior , bi-trilocular, 2 ovules per loculus, axile
placentation , ovules anatropous, ovary lies on large nectariferous disc, single long green style,
bifid sticky stigma
Fruit : Red & ovoid berry, gland dotted with 1-2 seeds.
Seed: Endospermic with hairy testa.
Lathyrus odoratus (sweet pea)
Classification
Division
Sub division
Class
Sub class
Series
Order
Family
Sub family
Genus
14
: Spermatophyta
: Angiospermae
: Dicotyledonae
: Polypetalae
: Calyciflorae
: Rosales
: Leguminosae
:
Papilionatae
: Lathyrus
Species
:
odoratus
Lathyrus odoratus (sweet pea- Phul matter)
Habit : Annual climbing herb, leaflets are modified into tendrils to help the weak stem of the
plant in the gardens.
Root : Branched tap root with nodules which contain nitrogen fixing bacteria which help in the
fixation of atmospheric nitrogen.
Stem: Aerial, weak, herbaceous, hollow, climber, branched, green, glabrous.
Leaf :Alternate, cauline and ramal , petiolate , stipulate, stipules leafy, pinnate compound,
imparipinnate, upper 3-5 leaflets are modify into tendrils which help the weak stem to climb.
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Leaflets: Opposite, sessile, oval, unicostate, reticulate, margin entire, apex acute.
Floral characters
Inflorescence : Typical raceme, axillary in position.
Flower: Bracteate, bract small, pedicellate, ebrcteolate, complete, irregular, zygomorphic,
bisexual, cyclic,pentamerous in outer 3 whorls, scented, papilionaceous(Butterfly shape), slightly
perigynous, variously coloured, odd sepal is anterior.
Calyx: 5, gamosepalous, 5 partite,campanulate, green , persistant, hairy, odd sepal anterior.
Corolla: 5, polypetalous, papilionaceous the posterior petal is broader than long, emarginated
and is calledvexillum or standard, standard almost covers two lateral petals called wings or
alae, theanterior two petals are fused to form a boat shaped keel or carina, which is shoter than
wings and is mostly covered by them. Essential organs are enclosed by keel, petals are sweet
smelling, clawed, aestivation descending imbrcate or vexillary, variously coloured, inferior.
Androecium: 10, diadelphous, one posterior stamen is free and opposite the standard, the
filaments of 9 stamen united to form a tube around the ovary, anthers of unequal length,
bithecous, basifixed, longitudinal introrse dehiscence, inferior, enclosed by the keel.
Gynoecium : Monocarpellary apocarpous, uniilocular, marginal placentation , many ovules in a
carpel, style long, stigma terminal, slightly hairy covered by keel and style curved upwards
making an angle with the ovary.
Fruit : A legume dehiscing along both the sutures.
Seed: Nonendospermic with thick and massive cotyledons rich in food.
16
Cassia fistula (Amaltas)
Classification
Division
Sub division
Class
Sub class
Series
Order
Family
Sub family
Genus
Species
17
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Spermatophyta
Angiospermae
Dicotyledonae
Polypetalae
Calyciflorae
Rosales
Leguminosae
Caesalpinoideae
Cassia
fistula
Cassia fistula (Amaltas)
Habit : Ornamental, cultivated tree with beautiful yellow pendulous racemes.
Root : Highly branched tap root.
Stem: Aerial, erect, solid, cylindrical, woody , branched.
Leaf : Ramal , stipulate, stipules small and caducous , alternate, petiolate, compound,
paripinnate, 6-10 leaflets arranged opposite to each other.
Leaflets: Opposite, ovate, entire margin,acute apex,subsessile withpulvinusat the base, margin of
leaflets slightly wavy, unicostate reticulate, glabrous, leathery when old, green.
Floral characters
Inflorescence : Long, pendulous raceme, panicle or compound.
Flower: Bracteate, pedicellate, ebrcteolate, irregular, zygomorphic, complete, bisexual,
perigynous, pentamerous in outer 3 whorls, cyclic, yellow.
Calyx: 5, polysepalous, imbricate, odd sepal anterior, inferior, green or greenish yellow.
Corolla: 5, polypetalous, ascending imbricate,the posterior petal small and innermost in the
bud, postero-lateral petals cover it, ovate, entire, distinctly veined, yellow, inferior.
Androecium: 10, polyandrous, unequal, anterior, 3 stamens are long and sickle shaped and
fertile bithecous anthers with longitudinal dehiscence. The 4 stamens are medium sized fertile
and bithecous but have dehiscence by apical pores, the 3 small posterior stamens are sterile
andare called staminodes, anthers basifixed, medium sized anthers sometimes bend after
dehiscence.
Gynoecium : Monocarpellary, ovary superior, slightly stalked, curved, marginal placentation ,
short style, terminal and hairy stigma, ovules many.
Fruit : Cylindrical, indehiscent pod with one seededtransverse compartments.
Seed: Endospermic.
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Acacia arabica (Kikkar)
Classification
Division
Sub division
Class
Sub class
Series
Order
Family
:
:
:
:
:
:
:
Spermatophyta
Angiospermae
Dicotyledonae
Polypetalae
Calyciflorae
Rosales
Leguminosae
Sub family : Mimosoideae
Genus
: Acacia
Species
: arabica
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Acacia arabica (Kikkar)
Habit : Evergreen tree with dark brown bark, grow wild as well as cultivated, Xerophytic.
Root : Branched tap root, deep feeder.
Stem: Aerial, erect, solid, cylindrical, woody , branched, dark brown, bark secretes a gum called
gum Arabica, stipular spines on stem..
Leaves : Cauline and ramal ,alternate, stipulate, stipulesmodified into spines, petiolate,
bipinnate, compound.
Leaflets: Opposite, subsessile, small oblong, entire, obtuse, unicostate reticulate , glabrous,
rachis downy with several glands.
Floral characters
Inflorescence : Axillary cymose head, yellow.
Flower: Bracteate, ebrcteolate, subsessile, regular, actinomorphic, bisexual, hermaphrodite ,
pentamerous in outer 2 whorls, cyclic, hypogynous, small, inconspicuous, yellow, fragrant.
Calyx: 5, gamosepalous, slightly petaloid , 5, pentafid , companulate, greenish yellow, inferior,
odd sepal anterior.
Corolla: 5, gamopetalous, tubular, tube twice long than sepals, yellow, inferior.
Androecium: Indefinite, polyandrous,filaments long and conspicuous, exerted anthers small
with stalked glands. Yellowish, anthers bithecous, dorsifixed longitudinal introrse dehiscence,
pollen grains agglutinated in groups.
Gynoecium : Monocarpellary, ovary superior, unilocular, marginal placentation , many ovules
in the carpel, ovary sessile, style long filiform, stigma minute, ovary green, bears small white
glands.
Fruit : Legume, lomentaceous, fleshy pod with10-12 parts due to sutures deeply indented
between the seeds.
Seed: Non endospermic.
20
Coriandrum sativum (Dhania)
Classification
Division
Sub division
Class
Sub class
Series
Order
Family
Genus
Species
21
: Spermatophyta
: Angiospermae
: Dicotyledonae
: Polypetalae
: Calyciflorae
: Umbellales
: Umbellaceae
: Coriandrum
: sativum
Coriandrum sativum (Dhania)
Habit : Annual , cultivated herb.
Root : Branched tap root.
Stem: Aerial, erect, cylindrical, branched, hollow, herbaceous , green, aromatic, glabrous.
Leaves : Cauline and ramal , petiolate or subsessile , alternate, exstipulate, sheathing leaf base,
decompounds, 2-4 pinnate, glabrous
Leaflets: 2-3 lobed, the lobes may be linear, ovate or lanceolate with entire or serrate margin,
unicostate reticulate venation, aromatic.
Floral characters
Inflorescence : Compound umbel, involucres and involucel present.
Flower: Ebracteate, pedicellate, complete, perfect. Outer flowers irregular, zygomorphic while
inner flowers are regular, actinomorphic, bisexual, hermaphrodite , epigynous, pentamerous in
Calyx: 5, gamosepalous, adnte with ovary , unequal in zygomorphic flower and equal in
actinomorphic flowers, slightly petaloid , superior, calyx teeth 5, two anterior are larger than the
three posterior sepals in zygomorphic flowers. All the 5 calyx teeth are of equal size in
actinomorphic flowers.
Corolla: 5, polypetalous, in the outer flowers the petals are unequal, 2 posterior ones are
bilobed and smaller, 1 anterior is deeply lobed and largest, while the 2 are lateral, large and
bilobed with very small lobe, reflexed at the tip. Petals of inner flowers are equal in size,
superior, purplish white flowers.
Androecium: 5, polyandrous, filaments long, anthers bithecous, dorsifixed, longitudinal introrse
dehiscence, superior.
Gynoecium : Bicarpellary syncarpous, ovary inferior, bilocular with single pendulous ovule per
loculus, basal placentation, antero-posterior ovary adnate with calyx tube. A bilobed nector
secreting disc present above the ovary called stylopodium, style absent, 2 stigmas arising
directly from stylopodium, stigma capitate.
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Fruit : Schizocarpic, cremocarp with oblong ridges, oil cavities or vittae are under the ridges.
Seed: Endospermic.
Helianthus annuus (Sunflower)
Classification
Division
Sub division
Class
Sub class
Series
Order
Family
Genus
Species
23
: Spermatophyta
: Angiospermae
: Dicotyledonae
: Gamopetalae
: Inferae
: Asterales
: Asteraceae
: Helianthus
: annuus
Helianthus annus (Sunflower)
Habit : Annual , cultivated herb with beautiful capitula .
Root : Branched tap root.
Stem: Aerial, erect, cylindrical, branched, solid, herbaceous , hairy, glabrous.
Leaves : Cauline and ramal , exstipulate, petiolate, hairy petiole, simple, ovate, margin serrate,
apex acute, alternate or subopposite ,unicostate- reticulate, surface hairy, green.
Floral characters
Inflorescence : Yellow Racemose head or capitulum, capitulum radiate heterogamous,
consisting of 2 kinds of flowers: (a) Bisexual, tubular disc florets and (b) Pistillate or neuter,
ligulate ray florets. Disc florets occupy the center and ray florets are at the periphery. The
capitiulum is surrounded by 3 series of green involucres bracts.
Ray Florets: Bracteate, sessile, zygomorphic, female or sterile, yellow, tricyclic, epigynous,
incomplete, imperfect.
Calyx: 2-3, free, scale like, superior.
Corolla: 3-5, gamopetalous, ligulate, formed by a small basal hairy tube and a large flat strap
shaped and clearly veined limb or strap, entire or 3-5 toothed, (indicating no. of petals), superior,
yellow.
Androecium: Absent.
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Gynoecium : May be absent or present and when present bicarpellary, syncarpous, inferior,
unilocular, basal placentation, ovule single, bifid stigma, hairy and filiform style. Stigma curled
and hairy on the outside.
Disc Florets: Bracteate, bracts large, sessile, regular, actinomorphic, bisexual, epigynous,
tetracyclic, tubular, yellowish black.
Calyx: 2or3, free, reduced scale like hairy, generally antero-posterior, white superior.
Corolla: 5, gamopetalous, tubular, tube slightly swollen near the base where nector is present,
yellow, 5 toothed(represent 5 petals) teeth black, hairy. Valvate, superior.
Androecium: 5, epipetalous, filaments free, short, alternating with the petals, syngenesious
anthers, introrse longitudinal dehiscence, anther basifixed with rounded base, bithecous,
superior.
Gynoecium : Bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovary inferior, unilocular with a single basal ovule,
style long, stigma black, bifid, ovary completely sunken with th thalamus whose walls are hairy,
stigma curled back to expose the inner stigmatic surface.
Fruit : An achene, cypsela.
Seed : Non endospermic.
25
Ageratum conyzoides
Classification
Division
Sub division
Class
Sub class
Series
Order
Family
Genus
Species
26
: Spermatophyta
: Angiospermae
: Dicotyledonae
: Gamopetalae
: Inferae
: Asterales
: Asteraceae
: Ageratum
: conyzoides
Ageratum conyzoides
Habit : Annual , cultivated or wild herb.
Root : Branched tap root.
Stem: Aerial, erect, cylindrical, branched, solid, herbaceous , hairy.
Leaves : Cauline and ramal ,opposite, exstipulate, petiolate, simple, ovate, margin serrate, apex
acute, hairy, unicostate- reticulate, green.
Floral characters
27
Inflorescence : Capitulum, the are arranged in terminal corymbs, capitula homogamous and
have many violet, sessile , ebracteate, bisexual and actinomorphic florets, involucres bracts 2-3,
seriate, green, linear and acute.
Flower: Ebracteate, sessile, complete, perfect, bisexual, actinomorphic, regular, epigynous,
tetracyclic, pentamerous in outer 3 whorls, light purple or violet.
Calyx: 5, gamosepalous, reduced to scales which are awned and serrate, persistant, green
superior.
Corolla: 5, gamopetalous, tubular, 5 toothed, valvate, superior, purple or violet.
Androecium: 5, syngenesious epipetalous, filaments short, delicate and free, , anther
bithecous and basifixed with obtuse base, fused to form a tube around the style , connective
prolonged beyond the anthers, introrse longitudinal dehiscence, superior.
Gynoecium : Bicarpellary, syncarpous, ovary inferior, angled, unilocular, one ovuled,basal
placentation, style long and divided into 2 parts, each ending in a flattened hairy and papillate
stigma.
Fruit : Black, 5 angled cypsela with persistent scales.
Seed : Non endospermic.
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