ligularis

Ligularis is a Latin epithet used in the scientific names of various organisms. It is not a genus or higher taxon itself; rather, ligularis appears as the species epithet in binomial nomenclature, attached to a genus name to form a species designation.

Etymology and meaning: The term derives from Latin ligula, meaning “tongue,” with the suffix -aris forming an adjective. Consequently, ligularis is understood to mean “tongue-shaped” or “tongue-like.” This descriptive usage is common in taxonomy, where epithets describe notable features of a species.

Taxonomic usage: The epithet ligularis occurs across multiple taxonomic groups, including plants and animals. In each case, it is intended to convey a morphological characteristic—often a tongue-shaped leaf, petal, or other structure—rather than implying close evolutionary relatedness to other species sharing the epithet. Because epithets are reused across unrelated genera, ligularis is not indicative of a single lineage.

Relation to Ligularia: Ligularia is a distinct plant genus in the Asteraceae family. Its similarity in name to ligularis reflects the shared Latin root describing a tongue-like form, but Ligularia remains a separate taxonomic group from any species epithet using the form ligularis.

See also: Ligule; Ligularia; Ligulate.