corniculata

Corniculata is a Latin adjectival epithet used in the scientific names of many organisms, especially flowering plants. In binomial nomenclature the epithet agrees in gender with the genus: corniculatus (masculine), corniculata (feminine), and corniculatum (neuter). The root relates to a horn, and the sense conveyed is “horned” or “horn-like.”

The epithet is applied to describe morphological features that resemble horns or hornlike projections. This can include horn-shaped leaf appendages, calyx or fruit structures, or other protrusions that reminded the namer of a horn. Because corniculata is a descriptive term rather than a taxonomic group, it appears across diverse genera and is not indicative of close evolutionary relationships among species bearing the name.

As with other Latin epithets, corniculata is not unique to a single species or genus. Each instance refers to a different species within its own genus, so the full species name must include the genus for proper identification. When researching a species bearing the epithet corniculata, it is important to consider the complete binomial (genus and epithet) and, if needed, the current taxonomic synonymy, since reclassifications can alter the genus placement over time.