Venustus
/veh-NUS-tus/🏷️ Taxonomy●● Intermediate
Also known as: venusta, venustum
An aesthetic epithet invoking the goddess Venus to describe a plant of exceptional grace, charm, and beauty. Appears as venustus (masculine), venusta (feminine), or venustum (neuter).
Etymology
From Latin venustus, meaning "charming," "graceful," or "lovely," from Venus (the goddess of love and beauty).
Example
“Calochortus venustus (butterfly mariposa lily) and Penstemon venustus carry this most gracious of epithets for flowers of refined, goddess-level beauty — delicate yet perfectly proportioned.”