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Atrorubens

/at-roh-ROO-benz/
🏷️ Taxonomy●● Intermediate

A color epithet combining ater (dark, black) with rubens (red) to describe a very deep, dark red — a blackish crimson darker than standard rubra. One of a family of atro- compounds that intensify a base color toward near-black. Appears as atrorubens (both genders).

Etymology

From Latin ater (dark, black) + rubens, present participle of rubere (to be red), meaning "darkly red."

Example

Helleborus atrorubens and Sedum atrorubens both display the deep, smoldering blackish-crimson that distinguishes them from more straightforwardly red relatives — a tone that deepens further in cold weather.