paniculata

Paniculata is a Latin epithet used in botanical nomenclature to denote a plant bearing a panicle, a type of branching inflorescence. The term paniculatus/paniculata derives from paniculus, meaning “little tree” or, more specifically, “having a panicle.” A panicle is a compound inflorescence with multiple levels of branching and flowers borne on subsequent stalks.

In scientific names, paniculata is the species epithet and is written in lowercase following the genus name (for example, Genus paniculata). It is used across many plant genera and families to describe a morphological trait rather than to identify a single species. Consequently, there is no single species universally known as Paniculata.

In addition to its taxonomic use, the epithet may appear in horticultural contexts as part of cultivar forms or descriptions that emphasize a pronounced panicle, though such usage is subject to cultivar registration and formal nomenclature standards.

The epithet appears across diverse plant groups, including herbaceous perennials, shrubs, and grasses, reflecting the prevalence of panicles as a common inflorescence type in flowering plants. For related concepts, see panicle, inflorescence, and botanical nomenclature.