Implicata

Implicata is a Latin term meaning "involved" or "entangled." It is the feminine singular form of the perfect passive participle of implicare, a verb that means to involve, entangle, or interweave. In Latin grammar, participles decline for gender and number: implicatus (masculine), implicata (feminine), implicatum (neuter). As an adjective, implicata agrees with the feminine noun it modifies; the form changes to reflect different genders or numbers as required.

In taxonomy, implicata is used as a species epithet in botanical and zoological names. Latin adjectives used in binomials must agree in gender with the generic name, so implicata may appear with feminine-named genera, while masculine or neuter forms (implicatus, implicatum) may appear with other genera. The epithet generally conveys a sense of complexity, involvement, or intertwining, though the exact nuance depends on the taxon and the namer’s intent.

Beyond nomenclature, implicata appears in Latin phrases in scholarly or literary contexts, typically as part of a larger expression such as res implicata ("the things involved") rather than as an independent concept. It is not a widely used technical term in itself, but rather a morphological form of a common Latin participle that appears in historical texts and in taxonomic names.

See also: implicate, implicatus.