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Look up circumscription in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. |
In taxonomy, circumscription is the definition of the limits of a taxonomic group of organisms. One goal of taxonomy is to achieve a stable circumscription for every taxonomic group. Achieving stability can range from simple or difficult.
An example of a taxonomic group with unstable circumscription is Anacardiaceae, a family of flowering plants. Some experts favor a circumscription[1] in which this family includes the subfamilies Cassuvieae, Spodiaceae, and Spondiaceae (which other experts segregate into other families, namely Cassuviaceae, Spodiadaceae, and Spondiadaceae), and excludes the segregate families Blepharocaryaceae, Julianaceae, Pistaciaceae, and Podoaceae.
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