maturata

Maturata is a Latin adjective used in scientific nomenclature to indicate maturity or full development. In taxonomic naming, maturata commonly appears as a species epithet rather than as a stand-alone taxon, signaling that the specimen or form described is mature or exhibits mature characteristics.

In Latin grammar, maturata is the feminine singular form of the adjective maturatus; the related forms are maturatus (masculine singular) and maturatum (neuter singular), with plural forms maturati (masculine), maturatae (feminine), and maturata (neuter). Because species epithets must agree with the gender of the genus, maturata will appear with feminine-gender genera and is often found in historical or descriptive contexts describing mature features of the organism.

Applications and scope: In botany, mycology, and related fields, maturata may describe mature fruits, seeds, flowers, or other reproductive structures. In zoological and paleontological descriptions, the epithet can denote a mature ontogenetic stage used for comparison with immature forms. It is not a taxonomic group or clade itself, but a descriptor that can be part of many different scientific names.

Limitations and usage notes: Many names containing maturata originate from historical classifications and may have been revised or reclassified over time. When encountered in literature or databases, maturata should be interpreted as a descriptive epithet rather than as evidence of a distinct taxonomic entity.

See also: maturation, maturus, taxonomic epithets.