laevis

Laevis is a Latin adjective meaning smooth, even, or plain. In biological nomenclature it is commonly used as a species epithet in binomial names across diverse groups of organisms, including animals, plants, and fungi. As an epithet, laevis is descriptive rather than taxonomically diagnostic; it typically refers to a noticeable smooth surface or lack of hair, spines, or other textures on a part of the organism, such as skin, scales, leaves, or fruit.

The epithet appears in many genera and is found in both zoological and botanical names. Because Latin adjectives agree in gender with the genus name, laevis may appear in different inflected forms to match the genus; neuter forms are used where appropriate.

The use of laevis reflects a long-standing tradition in taxonomy of using Latin descriptive terms to characterize distinguishing features of a species at the time of naming. While the epithet remains in the name, it does not always indicate the taxon's current diagnostic features, which may be more nuanced or revised with new data.

In modern practice, laevis is one of many common Latin epithets that describe surface texture, color, size, or behavior. For researchers, encountering laevis in a name often prompts examination of the original description to understand what feature was deemed notable by the author.

See also: Latin grammar in scientific names; list of Latin adjectives used in binomials.