Vegetables: A Brief Taxonomy

Why Taxonomy is important?

India is a storehouse of many known and unknown plant species. Many of it was identified and cultivated as Vegetable for human consumption from long time ago, say from the inception of the civilisation. It is necessary to identify the vegetable plant species to conserve its identity for onward research & development as well as spreading its goodness to the one part of the country to another.

It is also important to protect the diversity from the invasive alien plant species. Now a days a major part of the breeding programmes are based on identified land races, as well as introduces races.

Some of the Vegetables commonly found in India is hereby mentioned with their brief taxonomical description.

Name	Botanical name	Chromosome No.	Family	Plant Habit	Plant part used
Asexual/Vegetative Reproduction
Potato	Solanum tuberosum L.	2n=48	Solanaceae	Annual	Tubers
Sweet Potato	Ipomea batatas (L.), Lam	2n= 90	Convolvulaceae	Perennial but cultivated as annual	Tubers
Tapioca/Cassava	Manihot esculenta Crantz.	2n=36(72)	Euphorbiaceae	Perennial	Fleshy roots
Globe Artichoke	Cynara scolymus L.	2n=34	Asteraceae	Perennial	Bud scale, flower heads or flower buds
Jerusalem Artichoke	Helianthus tuberosus L.	2n=102	Asteraceae	Perennial	Underground tubers
Yam	Dioscorea spp.L. Spp. as esculenta/alata etc.	2n=40	Dioscoreaceae	Perennial	Tubers
Colocasia/Arvi/Taro	Colocasia esculenta L.	2n=28	Araceae	Perennial	Leaves and tuberous corms.
Sexually Reproduction
Eggplant/Brinjal	Solanum melongena L.	2n=24	Solanaceae	Perennial but cultivated as annual	Fruits
Common Pepper/Chilli)	Capsicum annuum L	2n=24	Solanaceae	Perennial but cultivated as annual	Fruits
Bird eye Pepper	Capsicum frutescens L	2n=24	Solanaceae	Perennial but cultivated as annual	Fruits
Pepper for drying	Capsicum annuum L var annuum	2n=24	Solanaceae	Perennial but cultivated as annual	Mature fruits
Tomato	Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.	2n=24	Solanaceae	Annual to perennial	Fruits
Field Pea	Pisum sativum var arvense L.	2n=14	Leguminoaceae	Annual	Seeds
Garden pea	Pisum sativum var hortense L.	2n=14	Leguminoaceae	Annual	Green Pods, Seeds
French Bean	Phaseolus vulgaris L	2n=14	Leguminoaceae	Annual	Green Pods, Seeds
Adzuki Bean	Vigna angularis L	2n=22	Leguminoaceae	-	Green Pods, Seeds
Asparagus Bean	Dolichos sesquipedalis L	2n=22(24)	Leguminoaceae	Annual	Green Pods
Broad Bean	Vicia faba L	2n=12(24)	Fabaceae	Annual	Green Pods
Cluster Bean	Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.	2n=14	Leguminoaceae	Annual	Immature Pods
Cowpea	Vigna unguiculata L	2n=22	Leguminoaceae	Annual	Green pod, dry seeds
Hyacinth/Indian Bean	Dolichos lablab	2n=22,24	Leguminoaceae	Annual	Green pod, seeds
Rice Bean	Vigna umbellate (Thumb.) Ohwi & Ohashi	2n=22	Leguminoaceae	Annual	Young pod, seeds
Runner Bean	Phaseolus coccineus L	2n-22	Leguminoaceae	Perennial but cultivated as Annual	Young pod, seeds
Sword Bean	Canavalia gladiate L.	2n=22(44)	Leguminoaceae	Perennial	Young pod, seeds
Winged Bean	Psophocarpus tetragonolobus L.	2n=18	Leguminoaceae	Perennial	Flower, green fruits, seeds, roots
Tepary Bean	Phaseolus acutifolius Gray.	2n=22	Leguminoaceae	Annual	Seeds
Okra	Abelmoschus esculentus L.	2n=72,120,132,130	Malvaceae	Annual	Tender pods
Chive	Allium schoenoprasum L.	2n=16	Alliaceae	Perennial	Bulbs
Garlic	Allium sativum L.	2n=16	Alliaceae	Perennial	Cloves
Kurrat	Allium ampeloprasum/A. kurrat L.	2n=16(32)	Alliaceae	Perennial	Underdeveloped pseudostem
Onion	Allium cepa L.	2n=16	Alliaceae	Binneal/ Perennial	Bulbs
Leek	Allium porii	2n=32	Alliaceae	Perennial but grown as annual	Blanched stem, roots, leaves
Shallot	Allium ascalonicum L	2n=16	Alliaceae	Perennial	Bulbs
Cauliflower	Brassica oleracea var botrytis	2n=18	Crucifereae	Binneal	Curd, immature inflorescense
Brussels Sprouts	B. oleracea var. gemmifera	2n=18	Crucifereae	Binneal	Sprouts
Cabbage	B. oleracea var. capitata	2n=18	Crucifereae	Binneal	Leafy head
Sprouting broccoli	B. oleracea var. italica	2n=18	Crucifereae	Annual	Young flower buds, small spears
Kale	B. oleracea var. acephala	2n=18	Crucifereae	Binneal	Leaves
Knol-Khol	B. oleracea var. gongylodes	2n=18	Crucifereae	Binneal	Swollen stem
Ash Gourd	Benincasa hispida Thunb.	2n=24	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Bitter Gourd	Momordica charantia L/	2n=22	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Bottle Gourd	Lagenaria siceraria (Mol.) Standl.	2n=22(44)	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Ivy Gourd (kundru)	Coccinia geandis L	2n=24	Cucurbitaceae	Perennial	Fruits
Cucumber	Cucumis sativus L.	2n=14(24)	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Long Melon	C. melo var. utilissimus	2n=24	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Musk melon	C. melo L.	2n=24	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Ripe fruits
Pointed Gourd	Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.	2n=22	Cucurbitaceae	Perennial	Fruits
Pumpkin	Cucurbita moschata Duch. Poir.	2n=24 (40&48)	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Ridge Gourd	Luffa acutangula L.	2n=26	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Smooth Gourd	L. cyllindrica L.	2n=26	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Snake Gourd	Trichosanthes anguina	2n=22	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Summer Squash	Cucurbita pepo L. a.k.a. Cucurbita mixta Pang.	2n=40	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Winter Squash	Cucurbita maxima Duch.	2n=40	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Chow-Chow/ Chayote	Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw.	2n=24,26,28	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Fruits
Watermelon	Citrullus lanatus (Thunb) Matsum.	2n=22	Cucurbitaceae	Annual	Ripened endocarp
Beet Root	Beta vulgaris L.	2n=18	Chenopodiaceae	Binneal but grown as annual	Swollen Root
Carrot	Daucus carota sp. sativus (Hoffm.) Arcang.	2n=18	Apiaceae/ Umbellifereae	Binneal	Tender roots
Turnip	Brassica rapa var. rapifera	2n=20	Crucifereae	Annual/ Binneal	Enlarged roots
Parsnip	Pastinaca sativa L.	2n=20	Apiaceae/ Umbellifereae	Binneal but cultivated as annual	Large fleshy tap root
Radish	Raphanus sativus L.	2n=18	Crucifereae	Annual/ Binneal	Roots, Leaves
Swede	Brassica napus var. napobrassica	2n=38	Crucifereae	Binneal	Roots
Amaranthus	Amaranthus spp. (bicolor/tricolot)	2n=32	Amaranthaceae	Annual	Leaves, Plants, Seed
Palak	Beta vulgaris var. benghalensis	2n=18	Chenopodiaceae	Annual	Leaves
Chinese Cabbage	Brassica chinensis/ B. pekinensis/ B. rapa var. pekinensis	2n=20	Crucifereae	Annual and Binneal	Leaves, loose heads
Celery (Salad)	Apium graveolens var. dulce (Mill.) Pers.	2n=22	Apiaceae/ Umbellifereae	Binneal	Leaves, Petioles
Celery (Root)	A. graveolens var. rapaceum Gaudich.	2n=22	Apiaceae/ Umbellifereae	Binneal	Bulbous Roots
Coriander	Coriandum sativum L.	2n=22	Apiaceae/ Umbellifereae	Annual	Leaves, Seeds
Endive/ Chicory	Cochorum endivia L	2n=18(36)	Asteraceae	Annual and Binneal	Salad
Fenugreek/ Methi	Trigonella foenum-graecum L.	2n=16	Leguminoaceae	Annual	Leaves, Plant, Seeds
Kasuri Methi	T. corniculata L.	2n=16	Leguminoaceae	Annual	Leaves, Plant
Mustard	Brassica rapa var. perriridis	2n=20	Crucifereae	Annual	Leaves
Lettuce	Lactuca sativa L.	2n=18	Asteraceae	Annual	Leaves, Edible stems
Spinach	Spinacia oleracea L.	2n=12	Chenopodiaceae	Binneal	Leaves
Parsley	Petroselinum crispum (Mill) Nym. ex A. W. Hill	2n=22	Apiaceae/ Umbellifereae	Binneal/perennial	Leaves
Asparagus	Asparagus officinalis L.	2n=20	Liliaceae	Perennial	Spears
Sweet Corn	Zea mays L. ssp. mays.	2n=20	Poaceae	Annual	Baby cobs
Water cress	Nasturtium officinale R.Br.	2n=32	Crucifereae	Perennial but grown as annual	Leaves, Young top end.
Brahmi/ Waterhyssop	Bacopa monnieri L. (Wettst.)	2n=64	Scrophulariaceae	Perennial	Leaves