Definition

Proper noun 1. A taxonomic family of flowering plants: Brassicaceae, also known as the mustard family or crucifer family, is a large and economically important family of plants characterized primarily by flowers with four petals arranged in a cross shape (hence "crucifer").

Usage

• The family Brassicaceae includes many common vegetables and herbs.
• Botanists study the evolutionary relationships within the family Brassicaceae.
• The plant was classified as a member of the family Brassicaceae.

Advanced Usage

• In taxonomic hierarchy: The term is used in the formal, scientific classification of organisms. It sits above the genus level and below the order level (typically order Brassicales).
  • Example: Arabidopsis thaliana, a model organism for plant biology, belongs to the family Brassicaceae.

Variants and Related Words

• Brassicaceae: The exact synonym and scientific name for the family.
• Cruciferae: An older but still acceptable alternative name for the same family, referencing the cross-shaped (cruciform) flowers.
• Mustard family: The common English name for this plant family.
• Crucifer: A common name for any plant belonging to the family Brassicaceae.
• Brassicales: The botanical order to which the family Brassicaceae belongs.

Synonyms

• Cruciferae
• Mustard family

Related Terms (Contextual)

• Cruciferous vegetable: A dietary term for edible plants from the family Brassicaceae (e.g., broccoli, kale, cabbage).
• Silique / Silicula: Types of dry fruit (seed pods) characteristic of many plants in the family Brassicaceae.

Noun

1. a large family of plants with four-petaled flowers; includes mustards, cabbages, broccoli, turnips, cresses, and their many relatives