Skip to main content
lobelia family

lobelia family

9.1
A group of flowering plants with milky sap and bright flowers
  • noun
  • /loʊˈbiːliə ˈfæmɪli/
  • Specialized
translation icon : familia de lobelias
  • In botanical studies, members of the lobelia family are often noted for their milky sap and attractive blooms.

Examples

  • Some taxonomists place the lobelia family within the broader Campanulaceae family.

  • The lobelia family includes many popular garden plants known for their bright blue flowers.

  • Species in the lobelia family are often used in horticulture for their decorative blooms.

  • The lobelia family includes many colorful species.

  • Did you know about the lobelia family of plants?

  • Many plants in the lobelia family thrive in moist environments and are popular among gardeners.

  • The lobelia family is known for its variety of species that produce vibrant flowers.

Synonyms

family Lobeliaceae
vslobelia family
  • Specialized
9.3

A group of flowering plants that are mostly small herbs found in tropical and cool places

is the same but uses an English descriptive phrase not the Latin name
Lobeliaceae
vslobelia family
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of flowering plants with bright flowers often grown in gardens

is the same but expressed as a common descriptive phrase

Surface Forms

Morphology

lobelia + family

The phrase is compositionally built from 'lobelia' (a plant genus) + 'family' (a taxonomic grouping), so it straightforwardly denotes the plant family that includes or is related to lobelia. The noun + 'family' pattern is common and cross-linguistically transparent, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Lobelia family comes from the flower name Lobelia, which itself was named for a 16th-century plant expert called Lobelius. The word family here means a 'group' of similar plants, so lobelia family simply means the group of 'flowering plants' related to Lobelia.