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Medius

/MEH-dee-us/
🏷️ Taxonomy Basic

A size epithet meaning the plant is of intermediate size — neither the largest nor the smallest in its genus, occupying the middle ground. Applied when a species is intermediate in some characteristic compared to its relatives. Appears as medius (masculine), media (feminine), or medium (neuter).

Etymology

From Latin medius, meaning "middle," "intermediate," or "medium-sized."

Example

Veronica media and Potentilla media occupy the intermediate size range between their larger and smaller congeners, the epithet acknowledging an unremarkable but botanically precise position in the genus.