Patriarchs and matriarchs (6)
I believe the answer is:
elders
'patriarchs and matriarchs' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
This is all the clue.
(Other definitions for elders that I've seen before include "Church officers and small trees" , "One should respect these" , "Senior trees?" , "plants?" , "Older trees?" .)