Definition

Proper noun: - A taxonomic family of flowering plants within the order Ericales. This family consists of shrubs and trees characterized by leathery leaves and small white flowers arranged in racemes. It traditionally includes the genera Cyrilla and Cliftonia.

Usage

• The term is used in botanical and scientific contexts to classify and refer to this specific group of plants.
• It is typically preceded by the word "family" in formal taxonomic writing, but "Cyrilliaceae" alone is also accepted as the family name.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• In modern taxonomic systems, the circumscription of this family is sometimes debated, with some authorities including it within a broader family (e.g., Clethraceae).
• The family name is often used in ecological descriptions of wetland habitats in the southeastern United States, where these plants are native.

Variants and Related Words

• Cyrilliaceae: The standard, abbreviated form of the family name, used synonymously with "family Cyrilliaceae".
• Cyrilla: A genus within the Cyrilliaceae, containing species like (leatherwood or swamp titi).
• Cliftonia: A genus within the Cyrilliaceae, containing the species (buckwheat tree or black titi).

Synonyms

• There are no direct common-language synonyms for this scientific taxonomic name.

Related Phrases

• The cyrilliaceae family: An alternative phrasing with the same meaning.
• Plants of the Cyrilliaceae: A phrase used to describe members collectively.

Related Idioms

• Not applicable. This is a scientific term and is not used in idiomatic expressions.

Noun

1. shrubs and trees with leathery leaves and small white flowers in racemes: genera Cyrilla and Cliftonia