compacta

Compacta is a Latin adjective form meaning compact or densely packed. In scientific naming, compacta is typically used as an epithet, an adjective that accompanies a genus name to describe a characteristic of the species. It is most often the feminine form, agreeing with feminine genus names; masculine and neuter forms would be compactus and compactum, respectively.

As a species epithet, compacta does not denote a single taxon. Instead, it appears across many different genera in botany and zoology, applied by authors to indicate a habit, morphology, or growth form that is notably compact. Because it is an adjective rather than a standalone name, the same epithet can be paired with multiple unrelated genera in different taxa.

In practice, the use of compacta reflects descriptive taxonomy rather than a legal or formal rank. Its meaning relies on context within the full binomial name and on the characteristics observed by the taxonomist who described the organism. The epithet may reference a compact rosette, densely branched habit, or other tightly arranged features, depending on the organism.

Outside strict taxonomy, compacta can appear in non-scientific contexts where the word “compact” conveys conciseness or compactness, such as in titles or product language. In taxonomy, however, compacta remains a general descriptive epithet rather than a distinct taxonomic group.