Nitidus
/NIH-tih-dus/🏷️ Taxonomy●● Intermediate
Also known as: nitida, nitidum
A surface epithet describing a plant with a bright, polished, glossy sheen — the smooth luster of a varnished surface. It applies to glossy leaves, polished fruits, or gleaming bark. Appears as nitidus (masculine), nitida (feminine), or nitidum (neuter).
Etymology
From Latin nitidus, meaning "shining," "bright," or "glossy," from nitere (to shine, to glitter).
Example
“Ligustrum lucidum (glossy privet) and Prunus laurocerasus, sometimes described as nitida for its polished leaves, both have the characteristic high-gloss leaf surface this epithet records.”