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Glite Dictionary
family Solanaceae

family Solanaceae

7.0
A group of flowering plants like potatoes and tomatoes that people eat, but some are poisonous
  • noun
  • /ˈfæmɪli soʊləˈneɪsi/
  • Specialized
translation icon : familia Solanaceae
  • Researchers study the family Solanaceae for its unique alkaloid compounds, some of which are highly toxic.

Examples

  • The ornamental petunia is a popular garden plant from the family Solanaceae and is prized for its colorful flowers.

  • The family Solanaceae includes many important crops.

  • Many staple crops, such as potatoes and tomatoes, belong to the family Solanaceae.

  • Did you know that the family Solanaceae contains tomatoes?

  • The potato and tomato are two of the most well-known members of the family Solanaceae.

  • Many plants in the family Solanaceae are valued for their culinary uses, such as peppers and eggplants.

  • Caution is advised when handling plants in the family Solanaceae due to the potential presence of toxic compounds.

Synonyms

Solanaceae
vsfamily Solanaceae
  • Specialized
9.3

A family of flowering plants that includes potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, tobacco, and petunias

uses an explicit family phrase rather than the shorter Latin label
potato family
vsfamily Solanaceae
  • Specialized
4.2

A group of flowering plants that includes tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants

uses the technical Latin name and formal listing of genera

Surface Forms

family Solanaceae singular
families Solanaceae plural

Morphology

family + Solanaceae

This is a fully compositional taxonomic phrase: 'family' (a scientific grouping) combined with the proper name 'Solanaceae' directly yields the meaning of the plant family called Solanaceae. Such nominal constructions are cross-linguistically common in scientific naming, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily understand it.

Etymology

Family Solanaceae gets its name from the old Latin plant name Solanum, a type of nightshade that people once believed could 'soothe' or 'heal'. So the name now covers a group of plants that includes everyday foods like potatoes, tomatoes and peppers and also poisonous plants like belladonna.