silvestris

Silvestris is a Latin adjective meaning "of the forest" and is used in scientific names to indicate a forest-associated origin or habit. In taxonomy, silvestris appears as a species epithet in many genera, across animals, plants, and fungi. It is not a taxon by itself; rather, it labels a particular species within a genus, and the same epithet can occur in unrelated groups.

Notable example is Felis silvestris, the European wildcat. In some classifications the domestic cat has been treated as a subspecies of this species, Felis silvestris catus. The epithet often signals that the species was first described from a forested region or is commonly found there.

Spelling variants such as sylvestris (often preferred in botanical Latin) are common; for example Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine) shows the cognate form. The meanings are essentially equivalent, reflecting the Latin root silva, meaning "forest."

Because epithets are reused across many taxa, silvestris should be understood as a descriptive label rather than a reference to a single organism.