rubiaceous

[ roo-bee-ey-shuhs ]

adjective

1. belonging to the Rubiaceae, the madder family of plants.

rubiaceous

/ ˌruːbɪˈeɪʃəs /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Rubiaceae , a widely distributed family of trees, shrubs, and herbaceous plants that includes the coffee and cinchona trees, gardenia, madder, and bedstraws

Word History and Origins

Origin of rubiaceous¹

1825–35; < New Latin Rubiace ( ae ) name of family ( Rubi ( a ) genus name ( Latin rubia madder, akin to ruber red ¹ ) + -aceae -aceae ) + -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of rubiaceous¹

C19: from New Latin Rubiaceae , from Latin rubia madder, from rubeus red

Example Sentences

This important and valuable article of food is the produce chiefly of Coffea arabica, a Rubiaceous plant indigenous to Abyssinia, which, however, as cultivated originally, spread outwards from the southern parts of Arabia.

From Project Gutenberg

In the Rubiaceous genus Bikkhia, as mentioned by Duchartre, the ovary is completely inferior, but when the fruit arrives at maturity four small leaves are detached from its surface which had previously adhered to it, and which it seems reasonable to consider as the sepals.

From Project Gutenberg

It belongs to the Rubiaceous order of plants, all of which have a root like madder, affording a red dye.

From Project Gutenberg

This herb is of the Rubiaceous order, and gets its botanical name from the Latin asper, rough, in allusion to the rough leaves possessed by its species.

From Project Gutenberg

Polygonoides, occurred along the nullah, a pretty species of the plant, Antheris globosis petaloideo-terminalis, in profusion in some places, literally colouring the ground: close to it another very distinct species, foliis connatis, floribus albis, a Rubiaceous crystalline looking plant, another novelty; all the plants about the hills at Candahar continue: Dianthoid, Statice, Pæderia villosa. 

From Project Gutenberg