liliiformis

liliiformis is a Latin-derived species epithet used in the scientific names of diverse organisms. It is not a taxon itself; rather, it appears in many distinct genera to indicate that some aspect of the organism is lily-like. In botanical nomenclature, liliiformis commonly describes flowers or plant forms that resemble lilies in shape or appearance, even when the species is not closely related to true lilies (genus Lilium).

Etymology: the word combines Latin lilium meaning lily with formis meaning shaped or formed, producing the sense “lily-shaped.”

Usage and interpretation: because it is a descriptive epithet, liliiformis is used across unrelated lineages where a morphological similarity to lilies was noted by the describer. The epithet alone does not convey taxonomic rank beyond the species, nor does it imply a close evolutionary relationship to lilies.

Context and considerations: in historical classifications, the epithet may appear in older or revised taxonomic frameworks as researchers revise concepts of genus and species boundaries. Modern nomenclature preserves descriptive epithets like liliiformis when they remain informative about morphology, even as higher-level classifications change.

See also: List of Latin adjectives used in scientific names.