scabrosa

Scabrosa is a Latin adjectival species epithet used in the scientific names of numerous organisms across plants, fungi, and animals. It derives from scabrosus, meaning rough or scaly, and describes a surface texture or appearance that was notable to the describer when the species was named.

In taxonomy, adjectives agree with the gender of the genus. Thus scabrosa appears in feminine genera, while masculine or neuter forms (scabrosus or scabrosum) may occur with other genera. The epithet itself is not a taxon and does not indicate relatedness between species bearing it.

Because scabrosa is widely used across many genera, a full binomial name is required to identify a precise organism. The epithet signals a rough surface or texture but provides limited information without the genus and species context. It is commonly assigned to plants with rough-textured leaves or stems, and to fungi or invertebrates with a rough exterior, but its use is descriptive rather than diagnostic of a unified group.

In summary, scabrosa functions as a descriptive species epithet rather than as a stand-alone taxon, reflecting a rough or scabrous surface feature in the organisms it names. For any given instance, the full genus and species designation is needed to determine its biology and classification. See also Latin binomial nomenclature and Epithet (taxonomy) for related concepts.