Depressus
/deh-PRES-sus/🏷️ Taxonomy●● Intermediate
Also known as: depressa, depressum
A morphological epithet with two related meanings: either describing a structure flattened from above (dorso-ventrally), or describing a plant habit of growing close and flat to the ground — pressed down rather than spreading or erect. Appears as depressus (masculine), depressa (feminine), or depressum (neuter).
Etymology
From Latin depressus, past participle of deprimere, meaning "to press down," from de- (down) + premere (to press).
Example
“Juniperus communis var. depressa (prostrate juniper) hugs the ground completely flat, and various cushion-forming alpines described as depressa are equally earth-pressed in their tight, low habits.”