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subgenus

subgenus

9.0
A group within a genus that contains closely related species
  • noun
  • /sʌbˈdʒiːnəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : subgénero
  • Considering all sites together, silver maple trees had the highest importance value, followed by ash, primarily green but including a few black ash (Fraxinus nigra), cottonwood, American elm, and the white oak subgenus.
  • oak subgenus

Examples

  • The blackberries belong to the genus Rubus and are classified under the subgenus Eubatus.

  • Name changes can also result from changes in rank (e.g., the elevation of a subgenus to a genus).

    Academic text (1998)
  • In 1978, Appleston Morris captured definitive proof that the subgenus Gigantopithecus thrives in the modern era.

  • He urged a subgenus category for this important New World bamboo so that the familiar G. angustifolia binomial might be retained.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Researchers have identified a new subgenus of insects that inhabits the rainforests of South America.

  • The biologist explained how the subgenus helps in understanding the evolutionary relationships among species.

Compounds

subgenus Azaleastrum
  • Specialized
9.9

A group of shrubs that belong to Rhododendron plants, with some keeping leaves all year and some losing them

subgenus Poinciana
  • Specialized
9.9

A small group of tropical garden trees with bright flowers

Surface Forms

subgenus singular
subgenera plural

Morphology

subgenus = genus (transparent) = sub + genus

The meaning is a straightforward taxonomic subdivision: 'sub-' (under/below) combined with 'genus' indicates a rank below genus.

Etymology

The word subgenus comes from the parts sub- meaning 'under' and genus meaning 'kind' or 'type', and the genus part is the same root as genre, a 'type' of music or book. So, a subgenus is like an 'under-type' — a smaller group inside a genus used to classify related species.