At The Rank of Family
Article 18 of the ICBN allows a descriptive name, of long usage, for the following eight families. For each of these families there also exists a name based on the name of an included genus (an alternative name that is also allowed, here in parentheses):
family Compositae = "composites" family Cruciferae = "cross-bearers" family Gramineae = "grasses" family Guttiferae = "latex-carriers" family Labiatae = "lipped ones" family Leguminosae = "legumes" family Palmae = "palms" family Umbelliferae = "parasol-bearers" - |
(Asteraceae) (Brassicaceae) (Poaceae) (Clusiaceae) (Lamiaceae) (Fabaceae) (Arecaceae) (Apiaceae) |
Special provision has been made for what might be described as one of the subunits in Leguminosae. If this were more universally adopted it would help in avoiding the confusion attending the name Fabaceae (which can refer to either of two, quite differently sized, families). This subunit has two special names (in both the ranks relevant here):
family Papilionaceae = "butterfly-like" - - subfamily Papilionoideae |
(Fabaceae) (Faboideae) |
Read more about this topic: Descriptive Botanical Names
Famous quotes containing the words rank and/or family:
“In a famous Middletown study of Muncie, Indiana, in 1924, mothers were asked to rank the qualities they most desire in their children. At the top of the list were conformity and strict obedience. More than fifty years later, when the Middletown survey was replicated, mothers placed autonomy and independence first. The healthiest parenting probably promotes a balance of these qualities in children.”
—Richard Louv (20th century)
“I worry about people who get born nowadays, because they get born into such tiny familiessometimes into no family at all. When youre the only pea in the pod, your parents are likely to get you confused with the Hope Diamond. And that encourages you to talk too much.”
—Russell Baker (b. 1925)