asclepiadaceous

[ uh-sklee-pee-uh-dey-shuh s ]
/ əˌskli pi əˈdeɪ ʃəs /

adjective

belonging to the Asclepiadaceae, the milkweed family of plants.
Compare milkweed family.

Origin of asclepiadaceous

1875–80; < New Latin Asclepiadace(ae) ( Asclepiad-, stem of Asclepias the type genus (Latin < Greek asklēpiás a plant, perhaps the swallowwort, derivative of Asklēpiós Asclepius) + -aceae -aceae) + -ous

Words nearby asclepiadaceous

ascidian, ascidium, ascigerous, ascii, ascites, asclepiadaceous, asclepiadean, asclepiades, asclepias, asclepius, asco-

British Dictionary definitions for asclepiadaceous

asclepiadaceous
/ (æˌskliːpɪəˈdeɪʃəs) /

adjective

of, relating to, or belonging to the Asclepiadaceae, a family of mostly tropical and subtropical flowering plants, including the milkweed and swallowwort, having pollen in the form of a waxy mass (pollinium): now usually regarded as a subfamily of the Apocynaceae

Word Origin for asclepiadaceous

C19: from New Latin Asclēpias genus name, from Latin, from Greek asklēpias, named after Asclepius