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Pictus

/PIK-tus/
🏷️ Taxonomy●● Intermediate

Also known as: picta, pictum

An aesthetic epithet describing a plant with markings, spots, or variegation giving the impression of having been painted. Appears as pictus (masculine), picta (feminine), or pictum (neuter).

Etymology

From Latin pictus, past participle of pingere (to paint), meaning "painted."

Example

Arum pictum (painted arum) and Athyrium niponicum 'Pictum' (Japanese painted fern) have the silver-and-burgundy markings that so perfectly justify this most artistic of epithets.