crispa

Crispa is a Latin adjective widely used as a taxonomic epithet in scientific names, describing a curled, crinkled, or wavy feature. The term conveys a morphological trait rather than a taxonomic rank and can be found across plants, fungi, and animals in binomial nomenclature.

Etymology and form: Crispa derives from Latin crispa (feminine form), with the masculine crispus and neuter crispum used to match the gender of the genus. In botanical names, adjectives must agree in gender and number with the genus they modify, so crispa is common where the genus is feminine.

Usage in taxonomy: The epithet crispa is employed to highlight a curled or crisped characteristic—often describing leaves, petals, fruit rims, or other structures with a curled edge or margin. Because it is descriptive rather than rank-based, many distinct species across diverse groups may bear the epithet crispa or its variants (crispae, crisparum) in their scientific names.

Grammatical notes: Proper form depends on the genus name’s gender; crispa is typically used with feminine genera, while crispus or crispum would align with masculine or neuter genera, respectively. When translating or standardizing names, the form of the epithet is adjusted to maintain grammatical agreement.

See also: Latin epithets in taxonomy; standard practices for gender agreement in binomial nomenclature; related descriptors such as crisatus or crisped in other languages.

Crispa, therefore, is not a single organism or group but a descriptive epithet applied in many taxa to indicate a characteristic feature of curling or crinkling.