Genetic Makeup
References Allemann and Hammes, 2006; Agyeno et al., 2014; Wikipedia.org
Plant Plectranthus edulis
Origin
Morphological features/ Identification marks
― Roots/tubers Fibrous roots, stolon tuber color cultivar dependent. cv. Lofuwa tubers were creamish with incidentally a shade of red, especially around the buds, whereas the tuber skin of cv. Chankua are reddish. Tubers of cv. Lofuwa are up to 25 cm in length, while those of cv. Chankua are up to 20 cm, both with a diameter of ∼2 cm. The flesh color of both cultivars was creamish.
― Stem Ascending, herbaceous, and bushy with a maximum height of about 1.5 m. cv. Lofuwa green leaves and stem, cv. Chankua leaves are a mixture of red and green, turning redder under high irradiation levels.
― Leaf The leaves are oval, elliptical in shape, dentate, sessile, pubescent, slightly bent outward at the tip and on the margin, with conspicuous veins.
― Flower/Fruits The panicle-like inflorescences were branched with several blue flowers in clusters of bisexual flowers. Flowers were typical for the family, with 5 sepals united in a calyx and 5 petals united to a two-lipped corolla.
Genetic Makeup
References Taye et al., 2012
Plant Apium graveolens Rapaceum
Origin Originating from the Mediterranean of southern Europe and the swamps of Egypt and Sweden.
Morphological features/ Identification marks
― Roots/tubers Celeriac has bulbous hypocotyls.
― Stem Chinese celery has a long and slender petiole (∼100 cm in length, 1–2 cm in diameter, celery has a short and thick petiole (∼80 cm in length, 3–4 cm in diameter).
― Leaf Celery leaves are pinnate to bipinnate with rhombic leaflets 3–6 cm long and 2–4 cm broad.
― Flower/Fruits The celery flowers are creamy-white, 2–3 mm in diameter, and are produced in dense compound umbels. The seeds are broad ovoid to globose, 1.5–2 mm long and wide.
Genetic Makeup Diploid species 2n = 2x = 22.
References Wang et al., 2011
Plant Tragopogon spp.
Origin Center of distribution in the Mediterranean region, the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
Morphological features/ Identification marks
― Roots/tubers Vertical roots, spindle-shaped.
― Stem Biennial and perennial herbs, solitary, simple, or sparingly branched stems.
― Leaf Linear or linear-lanceolate leaves
― Flower/Fruits One or only a few capitula, receptacles without scales, achenes of Tragopogon are usually fusiform, with 5 to 10 more or less distinct ribs and a beak of varying length. The involucral bracts are always in one row, ligulate flowers are yellow or purplish, and the pappus is in one row of mostly plumose hairs. Distinct “Tragopogon” type of pollen that has 6 abpolar, 3 equatorial and 6 interapertural lacunae.
Genetic Makeup Most species are diploid. Morphologically variable species present. 2n = 12.
References Shi et al., 2011; Qureshi et al., 2008; Mavrodiev et al., 2005
Plant Cichorium intybus
Origin Areas of northern Italy could be characterized as evolutionary hotspots.
Morphological features/ Identification marks
― Roots/tubers Stout tap root, the races grown in Italy, commonly called “radicchio amaro”. Uaually have roots brownish yellow outside and white inside, with a thin bark. Ideally, a smooth surface root, with few lateral roots, a reduced and non-woody central cylinder.
― Stem Roughly hairy or glabrous perennial herb. Stems were 15–105 cm.
― Leaf Basal leaves are short petiolate, oblanceolate, toothed to runcinate. Cauline leaves were sessile.
― Flower/Fruits Capitula was 2.5–3.5 cm broad, axillary. Outer phyllaries were ovate, inner phyllaries were lanceolate, 2–3 times longer than outer.
Genetic Makeup 2n = 18
References Hammer et al., 2013; Bernardes et al., 2013; Akçin, 2007
Plant Allium sativum
Origin Mediterranean to Southern Central Aisa
Morphological features/ Identification marks
― Roots/tubers Bulb composed of densely packed elongated side bulbs (cloves), bulb with many pure white or pink-blushed bulblets, single-layer (2–6) clove arrangement, red/purple lower and white/pale upper or brown color.
― Stem Grows up to 1.2 m (4 ft) in height, weak stalks, carry white, soft neck (nonscape-producing) garlic, hardneck (scape-producing) types, in various shades of purples, magentas, pinks and whites.
― Leaf Long protruding anthers, hermaphrodite flowers.
― Flower/Fruits No polyploid forms are found in garlic, although some varieties might be triploid.
Genetic Makeup 2n = 16
References Volk, 2009; Stavělíková, 2008; Osman et al., 2007; Fritsch and Friesen, 2002; Wikipedia.org
Plant Allium cepa
Origin Northwest India, Afghanistan, Soviet Republic of Tajik and Uzbek, Western Tien Shan. Western Asia and Mediterranean as secondary centers of development.
Morphological features/ Identification marks
― Roots/tubers Bulbs with reduced disc-like rhizome at base, Scapes 1.8 m tall and gradually tapering from expanded base. Shape from globose to bottle-like, flattened disciform. Membranous skin white, silvery, buff, yellowish, bronze, rose red, purple or violet. White to bluish red fleshy scale color.
― Stem Height 15–45 cm (6–18 in). biennial plant
― Leaf Leaves with different sized, short sheaths, near circular in cross- section and flattened on adaxial side. Yellowish-green and grow alternately in a flattened, fan-shaped swathe. Fleshy, hollow and cylindrical, with one flattened side. Base of each leaf is a flattened.
― Flower/Fruits Sub-globose umbel, dense many-flowered, short persistent spathe, pedicels are equal and much longer than white star-like flowers with spreading sepals, 5 mm long capsule fruit
Genetic Makeup diploids (2n = 2x = 16)
References Azoom et al., 2014; Fritsch and Friesen, 2002
Plant Amorphophallus galbra and other species
Origin Distributed in West Africa, the western border, east into Polynesia and south-east to Australia
Morphological features/ Identification marks
― Roots/tubers Amorphophallus tubers vary greatly from species to species, from the uniformly globose tuber of A. konjac to the elongated tubers of A. longituberosus and A. macrorhizus to the bizarre clustered rootstock of A. coaetaneus