family Sterculiaceae
- noun
- Specialized
- The family Sterculiaceae includes notable species such as the cacao tree and the kola nut.
Examples
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Botanists once classified several tropical trees under the family Sterculiaceae, though recent studies have revised this.
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Members of the family Sterculiaceae are mostly found in warm, tropical regions.
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The family Sterculiaceae includes many tropical plants.
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Did you know that family Sterculiaceae contains cacao?
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The family Sterculiaceae is important for its economic contributions, including plants like cacao and kola.
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Many plants in the family Sterculiaceae are valued for their fruits and seeds, especially in tropical regions.
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Researchers study the family Sterculiaceae to understand its role in diverse ecosystems and agriculture.
Synonyms
A former group of flowering trees and shrubs, now mostly placed in the Malvaceae family
A group of tropical trees and shrubs like cacao and kola
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.