regia
/REE-jee-uh/🏷️ Taxonomy●● Intermediate
Also known as: regius, regium
An aesthetic epithet marking a plant of kingly bearing, whether through stature, long-held prestige or the quality of its crop. It is the feminine of the -ius adjective, a distinct word from the -alis adjective behind regale. Appears as regius (masculine), regia (feminine), or regium (neuter).
Etymology
From Latin regius, meaning "kingly," from rex/regis (king).
Example
“Juglans regia (English walnut) and Delonix regia (royal poinciana) show the reach of the epithet, from a prized timber and nut tree to one of the showiest flowering trees in cultivation.”