portentosa

Portentosa is a Latin feminine adjective used in biological nomenclature as a specific epithet in the scientific names of various organisms. Derived from the Latin portentosus, meaning “ominous,” “foreboding,” or “remarkable,” the term is commonly translated as portentous. It is not a taxon in itself, but a descriptive word included with a genus name to form a binomial or trinomial name.

In taxonomy, portentosa is attached to different genera across kingdoms, including plants, fungi, and animals. The epithet is chosen by describers to highlight notable or striking features observed in a species, such as unusual morphology, coloration, or ecological traits. Like other Latin epithets, its form must agree in gender with the genus name.

Because portentosa appears in many, unrelated lineages, individuals bearing the epithet are not implied to be closely related. Instead, the same descriptive term can arise independently in diverse taxa when describers perceive a common quality worthy of note. The use of such epithets reflects descriptive nomenclature practices rather than any taxonomic hierarchy.

See also: Latin in scientific naming, binomial nomenclature, lists of Latin adjectives used in taxonomy.