Montanus
/mon-TAH-nus/🏷️ Taxonomy● Basic
Also known as: montana, montanum
A habitat epithet indicating the plant naturally grows in mountain environments — broadly from foothills through the montane zone up to but not necessarily including the alpine. It is more general than alpinus (which implies above-treeline habitats) and covers the full range of mountain slopes and valleys. Appears as montanus (masculine), montana (feminine), or montanum (neuter).
Etymology
From Latin montanus, meaning "of mountains," from mons/montis (mountain).
Example
“Clematis montana, Arnica montana (mountain arnica), and Paeonia mlokosewitschii — known as Molly-the-witch but described in montane contexts — all represent the rich, tough mountain flora this epithet encompasses.”