Acuminatum

Acuminatum is a Latin adjective used in biological nomenclature as a species epithet to indicate a pointed or tapered form. The term derives from acuminatus, meaning sharpened or pointed; the neuter form acuminatum is used to agree with neuter genus names, while acuminatus (masculine) and acuminata (feminine) appear with masculine and feminine genera, respectively. As an epithet, acuminatum is not a taxon in itself but a descriptive element of a binomial or trinomial name.

In botanical and zoological nomenclature, acuminatum is employed to signal a pointed morphological feature, such as an acuminate leaf tip, a pointed petal apex, a beak, or a horn. Because genus names vary in grammatical gender, the exact ending of the epithet may change to maintain agreement with the genus. Taxonomic codes govern its use, including rules on spelling, gender agreement, and the treatment of epithets when taxa are moved to different genera. When a species is reclassified under a new genus, the ending of the epithet may be adjusted to reflect the gender of the new genus.

The epithet acuminatum, like other descriptive epithets, conveys a characteristic observed in the organism but does not define a single universal trait across all taxa bearing the name. Its utility lies in providing a concise hint about a pointed or tapered morphological aspect observed by the describer at the time of naming.