Pellucida

Pellucida is a Latin feminine adjective meaning transparent or translucent, derived from pellucidus. In scientific naming, adjectives are Latinized and must agree in gender with the genus. Therefore, pellucida is used to modify feminine-named genera or species epithets, while the masculine form is pellucidus and the neuter form pellucidum.

In taxonomy, pellucida commonly appears as a descriptive epithet across botany, zoology, and related disciplines. It signals that a characteristic—such as a leaf, seed coat, shell, tissue, or other structure—has a translucent or clear appearance. Because it is an descriptive epithet rather than a standalone taxon, it is attached to many different genera throughout diverse groups.

The usage of pellucida reflects a broader practice of employing Latin adjectives to convey observable traits in scientific names. As with other adjectives, its form changes to match the gender of the genus it accompanies. The English cognate is pellucid, but in Latinized scientific naming the feminine form pellucida is preserved to agree with feminine nouns.

Etymologically, pellucida derives from Latin pellucidus, meaning clear or bright, with the feminine ending -a. It remains a descriptive term rather than a taxonomic rank. When encountered in taxonomic literature, it points to a translucent or glassy feature within the organism or structure described, rather than indicating a unified taxon of its own.