botanicus

Botanicus is a name occasionally used as a placeholder in botany to illustrate a hypothetical genus within the plant kingdom. It is not recognized as an actual genus by major nomenclatural authorities and there is no formal description of a taxon by that name in IPNI or The Plant List.

The epithet derives from Latin botanicus, meaning "of botany." In educational contexts, Botanicus serves to demonstrate taxonomic structure from kingdom to species without tying discussions to real taxa. It may appear in textbooks, software simulations, and classroom exercises.

Because Botanicus is fictional for teaching, trait descriptions vary by author; common practice is to present a generic dicotyledonous plant with simple leaves and inconspicuous flowers, enough to illustrate diagnostic steps but not intended as a real plant.

When encountered in scientific literature, Botanicus should be treated as a placeholder; verify the taxon by searching IPNI or other databases, and distinguish it from legitimate taxa that may share similar names.

See also: placeholder name; taxonomic nomenclature; Latin in taxonomy.