Versicolor
/VER-sih-kol-or/🏷️ Taxonomy●● Intermediate
A color epithet indicating the plant displays a range of colors — either on a single flower with petals of multiple hues, in a population of plants varying in flower color, or in flowers that change color as they age. It implies chromatic variety and sometimes changeability. Appears as versicolor (both genders).
Etymology
From Latin versicolor, meaning "of various colors" or "changing color," from versare (to turn, to change) + color (color).
Example
“Iris versicolor (blue flag iris) and Lathyrus versicolor both display the variation in coloring — ranging from blue-violet to reddish-purple — that makes this epithet such an apt and evocative choice.”