Commelinaceae

9.9

A family of plants like spiderworts that grow every year and often climb

noun
/ˌkɒm.əˈlɪn.ə.siː/

Specialized

: Commelináceas

Did you know that Commelinaceae are often called spiderworts?

Examples

Tradescantia is a well-known genus within the Commelinaceae family.
The Commelinaceae include many species that are popular in horticulture for their colorful flowers.
Botanists have studied the global distribution of the Commelinaceae to understand plant evolution.
The Commelinaceae family includes many colorful plants.
The Commelinaceae family is known for its vibrant flowers that attract many gardeners.
Many species of Commelinaceae thrive in tropical regions, making them popular for decorative gardens.
Researchers are exploring the medicinal properties of various plants in the Commelinaceae family.

Synonyms

spiderwort family

vsCommelinaceae

Specialized

9.1

A large group of plants that usually live many years, like spiderworts

uses the scientific family name while noting the common name

Surface Forms

Commelinaceae singular

Commelinaceas plural

Commelineaceae singular

Morphology

Commelinaceae = Commelina (opaque) = Commelina + aceae

Formed by adding the specialized botanical family suffix '-aceae' to the genus name 'Commelina', a formation that requires taxonomic knowledge and is not transparent to general learners.

Etymology

Commelinaceae comes from the plant name Commelina, which was named for the Dutch botanist Jan Commelin, plus the ending -aceae, which means 'family' in plant names. A helpful way to remember this is to think of Commelinaceae as 'Commelin's family' of plants, which explains why the name is used for the plant family that includes spiderworts.