formosae

Formosae is a Latin-derived term commonly found in biological nomenclature as a specific epithet or part of an infraspecific name. It literally conveys the meaning “of Formosa,” with Formosa being the historical name for Taiwan. In taxonomy, formosae is used to indicate a connection to Formosa, typically suggesting that the organism was described from Formosan specimens or that the type locality lies in Formosa.

Etymology and usage: The name Formosa itself derives from the Portuguese Ilha Formosa, meaning “Beautiful Island,” given to Taiwan by early explorers in the 16th century. The epithet formosae follows Latin grammatical patterns to form a genitive or adjectival phrase meaning “belonging to Formosa.” As a result, formosae appears across diverse groups, including plants, animals, and fungi, in many historical and some modern species descriptions.

Taxonomic practice: The use of formosae is primarily historical and geographic. It signals provenance rather than a diagnostic trait and does not by itself define a lineage or clade. Because Formosa has long been a center of natural history collecting, many taxa described in earlier literature carry formosae as part of their Latin names.

Contemporary context: In modern nomenclature, taxonomists may favor more precise locality data or descriptive epithets, but formosae remains part of the historical record in many older species descriptions. It should not be confused with Formosan as an English demonym or with other uses of Formosa in cultural or linguistic contexts.

See also: Formosa (Taiwan), Formosan languages, Formosan fauna (broadly referring to Taiwan’s native fauna).