multiflorus

Multiflorus is a Latin epithet used in botanical nomenclature to indicate that a plant bears many flowers. It is not the name of a single taxon itself, but a descriptive term applied to various species across different genera.

Etymology and grammatical notes: the word derives from multi- meaning many and flor- meaning flower, with the Latin suffix -us forming the masculine adjective multiflorus. The feminine form is multiflora and the neuter form multiflorum, reflecting the gender of the genus to which it is attached. In botanical names, the epithet is not capitalized and follows the genus name.

Usage in taxonomy: multiflorus has been employed across a wide range of plant groups, including flowering plants in many families. As an adjective, it conveys a characteristic of the species, typically describing a plant with numerous blooms or dense flower clusters. Because it appears in many independent lineages, there is no single taxon known as “multiflorus”; instead, many distinct species across genera may bear this epithet in their scientific names.

In horticulture and literature, the epithet is used descriptively when authors wish to emphasize prolific flowering. Like other Latin adjectives in scientific names, its exact implication depends on the genus and the overall morphology of the plant.

See also: binomial nomenclature, Latin adjectives in scientific names, taxonomic nomenclature.