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family Sterculiaceae

family Sterculiaceae

9.9
A group of tropical flowering trees and plants including cacao and kola
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : familia Sterculiaceae
  • The family Sterculiaceae includes notable species such as the cacao tree and the kola nut.

Examples

  • Botanists once classified several tropical trees under the family Sterculiaceae, though recent studies have revised this.

  • Members of the family Sterculiaceae are mostly found in warm, tropical regions.

  • The family Sterculiaceae includes many tropical plants.

  • Did you know that family Sterculiaceae contains cacao?

  • The family Sterculiaceae is important for its economic contributions, including plants like cacao and kola.

  • Many plants in the family Sterculiaceae are valued for their fruits and seeds, especially in tropical regions.

  • Researchers study the family Sterculiaceae to understand its role in diverse ecosystems and agriculture.

Synonyms

Sterculiaceae
vsfamily Sterculiaceae
  • Archaic
9.9

A former group of flowering trees and shrubs, now mostly placed in the Malvaceae family

emphasizes its earlier recognition rather than naming its current classification
sterculia family
vsfamily Sterculiaceae
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of tropical trees and shrubs like cacao and kola

frames it as previously recognized rather than described neutrally

Surface Forms

Morphology

family + Sterculiaceae

The meaning is directly compositional: 'family' as a scientific grouping combined with the proper taxonomic name 'Sterculiaceae' denotes the plant family called Sterculiaceae. This naming pattern is standard in biology and cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the intended meaning.

Etymology

Family Sterculiaceae gets its name from a Roman farm god called Sterculius, whose name was linked to the word for 'dung' because some plants in the group give off a strong, bad smell like manure. So the name came to label this group of tropical flowering plants, including trees such as cacao and kola.