melastomaceae
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun 1. A family of flowering plants: Melastomaceae is the former botanical name for a large family of tropical and subtropical flowering plants, now more commonly referred to as the family Melastomataceae. This family consists of trees, shrubs, and herbs within the order Myrtales. Many species are known for their showy flowers and are cultivated as ornamental plants.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The vibrant purple flowers in the greenhouse belong to a species from the Melastomaceae.
- Botanists study the unique leaf venation patterns common in the Melastomaceae family.
- Several plants formerly classified under Melastomaceae are popular in tropical gardens.
Advanced Usage
- In botanical taxonomy: The term is often encountered in older botanical literature and texts. In modern taxonomic systems, the accepted name for this family is Melastomataceae. The change reflects standardized naming conventions in botanical Latin.
- Example: The genus Tibouchina was once placed in the Melastomaceae but is now a member of the Melastomataceae.
Variants and Related Words
- Melastomataceae (n): The modern, accepted botanical name for the plant family.
- Melastome (n): A common name for plants belonging to this family.
- Order Myrtales (n): The larger botanical order to which this family belongs, which also includes families like Myrtaceae (myrtles, eucalyptus) and Lythraceae (loosestrife, pomegranate).
Synonyms
- Melastoma family: A common descriptive synonym.
- Meadow Beauty family: A common name based on one of its well-known genera ().
Related Terms & Context
- Ornamental plant: A plant grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects. Many Melastomataceae species fall into this category.
- Opposite leaves: A key identifying feature for many species in this family, where leaves grow in pairs on opposite sides of the stem.
- Actinomorphic flowers: Refers to flowers that are radially symmetrical, a characteristic of many species in this family.
Noun
- a family of trees and bushes and herbs of order Myrtales; many are cultivated as ornamentals