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Caudatus

/kaw-DAH-tus/
🏷️ Taxonomy●● Intermediate

Also known as: caudata, caudatum

A morphological epithet describing a plant or plant part that has a long, narrow, tail-like extension — either a leaf that tapers into a long drip-tip, a seed with a long appendage, or a petal with a trailing tail-like tip. Appears as caudatus (masculine), caudata (feminine), or caudatum (neuter).

Etymology

From Latin caudatus, meaning "having a tail," from cauda (a tail).

Example

Amaranthus caudatus (love-lies-bleeding) has the drooping, rope-like, tail-like flower spikes that give it both its epithet and its evocative common name.

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