Definition

Noun: * A large family of plants with four-petaled flowers; includes mustards, cabbages, broccoli, turnips, cresses, and their many relatives: This is the scientific name for a major family of flowering plants, commonly known as the mustard family or the cabbage family. The name "Cruciferae" comes from the Latin for "cross-bearing," referring to the characteristic cross-like shape of the four petals.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Botanists classify broccoli and kale within the family Cruciferae.
  • Many common vegetables belong to the family Cruciferae.

Advanced Usage

• Taxonomic Context: In modern botanical taxonomy, the name "Brassicaceae" is now the formally accepted alternative for this family. "Family Cruciferae" remains a valid and widely used synonym, especially in horticultural and general contexts.
  • The plant was reclassified from family Cruciferae to the family Brassicaceae.

Variants and Related Words

• Cruciferous (adj): Describing plants belonging to the family Cruciferae/Brassicaceae.
  • Broccoli is a cruciferous vegetable.
• Brassicaceae (n): The modern, alternative scientific name for the same plant family.
  • The family Brassicaceae contains over 3,700 species.

Synonyms

• Mustard family: The common name for this plant family.
• Cabbage family: Another common name, emphasizing the edible members.
• Brassicaceae: The formally accepted synonym in systematic botany.

Noun

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