is a Latin
word with origins that go back to ancient times.
This writeup explores some of the past and present uses of the word.
The Oxford Latin Dictionary
who used it to mean green vegetation
Webster's 1913 Dictionary's
reports that viriditas is the Latin form of
viridity. It provides two definitions of viridity:
- Greenness; verdure; the color of grass and foliage.
- Freshness; soundness.
Hildegard von Bingen's Viriditas
About 900 years ago, Hildegard von Bingen
(1098-1179) used viriditas
to describe the principle
in all of nature.
Although this could be interpreted to mean the process of life
in a natural sense, Hildegard meant it to encompass
perspective as well.
In this sense, viriditas
refers to the power or influence of God
over life and nature.
Hildegard von Bingen is credited with composing a number of Gregorian chants including
"O nobilissima viriditas" (O most noble greening power) and
"O viriditas digiti Dei" (O Life-green finger of God) which explore the concept of viriditas in nature and in theology respectively.
Kim Stanley Robinson's use of Viriditas
Science fiction author Kim Stanley Robinson
(1952-) used viriditas
in his Mars trilogy
, Green Mars
and Blue Mars
) to refer to the greening process which is transforming Mars
into a planet teeming with life
It is is primarily associated with Hiroko, a very influential personality within the Greens
The Reds and the Greens of Mars
One of the key conflicts in the trilogy
is between the Reds
who believe that Mars should be preserved in as pristine
a condition as possible and the Greens
who believe that Mars should be transformed into planet supporting life in all its forms (including human
life without the need for artificial life support systems).
In a really well managed juxtaposition that runs throughout the trilogy, the Reds of Mars act a lot like the most extreme environmentalists or preservationists on Earth today (the term "Mars huggers" comes to mind) and the Greens of Mars are the exact opposite - i.e. willing to accept and encourage all manner of disruption to the planet in order to further their cause of greening Mars.
Coryphaeschna viriditas or Mangrove Darner
is a species of dragonfly
which is found in the very southeast tip of the U.S. State of Florida
It is in the Aeshnidae
family within the order Odanata
The species was first described by Calvert in 1952.
For the trivia fans out there, the other three members of the Coryphaeschna genus are Coryphaeschna Adnexa, Coryphaeschna Ingens and Coryphaeschna Luteipennis.
A photograph of a Coryphaeschna viriditas can be found at http://www.ups.edu/biology/museum/Corvirphoto.html (last accessed 2002/09/28).
- the untitled web page located at http://www.wu-wien.ac.at/earlym-l/logfiles/earlym-l.log9608b (last accessed 2002/09/29)
- the books Red Mars, Green Mars, and Blue Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
- the web page "Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata)
of the United States" at http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/insects/dfly/usa/163.htm (last accessed 2002/09/28)
- the untitled web page located at http://www.natureserve.org/datasets_zoo/docs/dragus.htm (last accessed 2002/09/28)
- various places on the 'net (way too many to enumerate)