Iridaceae

noun

large family of usually perennial geophytic herbs with rhizomes or corms or bulbs

• Syn: ↑family Iridaceae, ↑iris family

• Derivationally related forms: ↑iridaceous

• Hypernyms: ↑liliid monocot family

• Hyponyms: ↑genus Iris

• Member Holonyms: ↑Liliales, ↑order Liliales

• Member Meronyms:

↑iridaceous plant, ↑Belamcanda, ↑genus Belamcanda, ↑genus Crocus, ↑genus Freesia, ↑genus Gladiolus, ↑Ixia, ↑genus Ixia, ↑Sisyrinchium, ↑genus Sisyrinchium, ↑Sparaxis, ↑genus Sparaxis

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\\ˌirəˈdāsēˌē, ˌīr-\ noun plural

Usage: capitalized

Etymology: New Latin, from Irid-, Iris, type genus + -aceae

: a family of perennial herbs (order Liliales) with usually only basal ensiform leaves and flowers in racemes or panicles that are subtended individually or in clusters by two spathose bracts and have the perianth petaloid and the ovary inferior

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Iridāˈceae /i-rid-āˈsi-ē, ī-/ plural noun

The iris family, distinguished from lilies by their inferior ovary and single whorl of stamens (also Iridˈeae)

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Main Entry: ↑irid