A major category in the taxo-nomic hierarchy, comprising groups of similar genera. Families are thought by some to represent the highest natural grouping. The Latin names of families usually terminate in -aceae, e.g. Ranunculaceae, Papaveraceae, etc. However, there are eight exceptions, (Compositae, Cruciferae, Gramineae, Guttiferae, Labiatae, Leguminosae, Palmae, and Umbelliferae) whose names have been conserved by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. Alternative names have been proposed and are now often used in preference in many works. These are Asteraceae, Brassicaceae, Poaceae, Hypericaceae, Lamiaceae, Fabiaceae, Arecaceae, and Apiaceae, respectively. Groups of similar families are placed in *orders. Large families may be split into * tribes. See also natural order. |
