Dodonaeaceae

/ˌdɒdoʊneɪˈeɪsiː/ noun

Definition

The plant family Sapindaceae, historically classified and named after the genus Dodonaea; a family of flowering plants including soapberries and litchis.

Etymology

From 'Dodonaea' (genus named after Dodona) plus '-aceae' (standard Latin botanical suffix for plant families). The family was historically referred to this way before modern taxonomy reorganized it as Sapindaceae.

Kelly Says

Plant taxonomy is like a game of taxonomic musical chairs—Dodonaeaceae once referred to what we now call Sapindaceae. Botanical names preserve scientific history showing how understanding of plant relationships has evolved.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.