Pinnata

Pinnata is a Latin species epithet used in biological nomenclature. It is typically appended to the genus name to form a binomial name for a species. The term derives from pinna, meaning feather or wing, with the suffix -ata indicating possession or characteristic. The epithet is selected to reflect a feature that the describer deemed feather-like or pinnate.

In botany, pinnata most often describes leaf morphology: species with pinnate leaves, where the leaf is divided into leaflets arranged along a central axis or rachis. The term can also describe wing-like or feather-like structures on seeds or fruit in some plants, though other Latin terms may be used for these traits.

In zoology and other organisms, pinnata may be used to denote plumose or feather-like structures in creatures such as birds, insects, or marine invertebrates, again highlighting a feathery appearance.

Because pinnata is a descriptor rather than a single taxon, many unrelated genera may include a pinnata species. The same epithet can appear in different taxa across time as revisions occur. The gender of the epithet agrees with the genus name (e.g., pinnata with feminine genera; pinnatus or pinnatum with masculine or neuter ones).

Related terms include pinnate, pinnation, and pinnatus, which concern feather-like or divided leaf forms. For precise meaning, refer to the taxon's original description.