Family (biology)

The family (Latin: familia ) is a hierarchical level of biological systematics.

She stands in botany between the principal ranks order and genus. Directly above the family can stand as a derivation of the superfamily (Latin super familia ), under it the subfamily (Latin Subfamily ). In zoology comes to special family rank still existing from other ranks Family Group.

In botany, the family name ends in principle on - aceae (eg Compositae: Asteraceae, Liliaceae: Liliaceae ) and is derived from the genus name is always a fixed type species from (eg Aster, Lilium). Historically, however, also names according to morphological features were common. Article 18.5 of the ICBN states that eight such different family names should be considered published as valid, namely Palmae / Arecaceae, Gramineae / Poaceae, Cruciferae / Brassicaceae, Leguminosae / Fabaceae, Guttiferae / Clusiaceae, Umbelliferae / Apiaceae, Labiatae / Lamiaceae and Compositae / Asteraceae. In all other cases only the derivative of the type and on - aceae ending name as valid.

The term goes back to Pierre Magnol, who introduced him in 1689 in botany. Linné not yet used the term. Michel Adanson then used him in 1764 in his work Familles of Plants and defined there the first 58 plant families. Even when Antoine- Laurent de Jussieu, he does not appear, comparable rank then take the ordines naturales ( "natural orders " ), which conceptually correspond to the families.

It was not until the mid-19th century, the rank began then - even outside the Botany - enforce.

Evidence

• Biology
• Taxonomy