Notable Commentaries on the History of Plants

EXPLANATION OF CERTAIN

WORDS OCCURRING THROUGHOUT

this entire work, which a reader

not particularly skilled in

understanding them might find confusing.

Acetabula. AcetabulaThe Latin term for vinegar-cups or small, deep vessels. seem to be named after vinegar (acetum), although others think the word is derived from "receiving" (accipiendo) and thus write it as acceptabulum. These were small, circular, concave vessels without a wide rim, which were filled with vinegar and placed on the table for dipping food. From this, the word was transferred to all other things that have a similar concavity. First, they named the concave parts on the tentacles of octopuses this way—the parts by which the animal grips and rises up as if supported by little stays. The term was also transferred to the anatomy of women; they called the openings of the veins and arteries that lead into the uterus acetabula. Finally, they transferred this name to a plant, which for that reason they called AcetabulumLikely Navelwort (Umbilicus rupestris), known for its cup-shaped leaves., because it has leaves similar to a vinegar-cup, rounded in a circle and descending gradually into a concave hollow so smoothly as to deceive the senses. In Greek they are called cotyledonsoriginal Greek: κοτυληδόνες (kotylēdones).

Acinus. AcinusThe berry or individual grape within a cluster. signifies not only the internal seeds of the grape, as some think, but the entire fruit, which consists of the juice, the fleshy part, the seeds, and the skin surrounding it on the outside. Galen is a witness to this, who in the second book of On the Properties of Foodstuffs left this written: The body of the acinus consists of four parts: namely, that which is like its flesh; the moisture dispersed through it, from which wine comes; furthermore, the seed; and that membranous covering which encloses all these things on the outside. It is called rhaxoriginal Greek: ῥάξ by the Greeks.

Aculei. AculeiPrickles or thorns. is the name given to any somewhat hard parts that are shaped into a point and inflict a sting like little spears.

Acus. AcusChaff. is the refuse of grain—specifically the lightest part which is thrown out of the threshing floor by winnowing fans.

Adnata. AdnataOffshoots or lateral growths., or Adnascentia, or Appendices, are the names given to the small branches that a stalk sometimes sends out from itself, like a new and adopted offspring. They are so called because they are "born to" (adnascentur) and added onto the stalk. The Greeks called them paraphyadasoriginal Greek: παραφυάδας, meaning lateral offshoots., because they grow by breaking out around the stalk.

Alæ. AlæAxils; literally "wings" or "armpits." are the hollow curves between the stalk and the little branches, from which new offspring emerges in a fold; the name is transferred from the human armpits (alae). The Greeks call them maschalasoriginal Greek: μασχάλας.

Alabaſtra. AlabastraAlabaster flasks. are small vessels made for preserving scents, fashioned from a very solid and very cold material; they were so named by the Greeks because, due to their smoothness, they could not easily be grasped or held in the hands and would slip away. From this, the stone alabastrites—which they now call alabaster—was named, because the alabastra were made from it.

Aluta. AlutaSoft leather. is the name for a skin or hide after it has been prepared for use in making shoes and other things. From this comes alutamen,

or alutamentum, a piece of work made from prepared skins. Also alutarii, the preparers of skins and hides.

Alſioſa. AlsiosaCold-sensitive plants. are not those things that delight in cold places, but rather, on the contrary, those which cannot bear cold chills.

Amuleta. Amuletsoriginal: Amuleta are immediate remedies against poisons and charms, such as some people are accustomed to wear in rings or suspended from the neck.

Amphora. AmphoraA liquid measure. is a measure that holds two urns, or eight congiiA congius was roughly 3.5 liters..

Apices. ApicesStamens and anthers. are the things that break out in the middle of the calyxThe protective outer layer of a flower. or the small pod by which the flower is enclosed; they are the threads which spring forth like filaments from the innermost fold of the flower. These apices often have something rather thick at the top, from which resemblance they received their name.

Arbor. ArborTree. is whatever rises immediately from the root with a single trunk, branching out with limbs, woody, and resistant to being broken.

Articuli. ArticuliNodes or joints. are the parts that swell into certain knots, from which small branches very often emerge.

Aſparagi. AsparagiShoots or sprouts. is the name for the sprouts of vegetables that first come into the light before they unfold into leaves; these are the very fresh young shoots that are fit for eating.

Ariſta. AristaThe awn or "beard" of grain. is that which, like a thin, long needle, stands out from the husk. In short, the aristae are like the tips and horns of the ears of grain.

B

Baccæ. BaccæBerries. are the smaller fruits of herbs, shrubs, or trees, which grow more scattered and thinly, such as the fruit of the laurel. In this they differ from acini (grapes/berry clusters), in that the latter grow more densely.

Brachia. BrachiaBoughs or main branches. are the small branches of plants, but especially of trees, because they are extended like the arms (brachia) in a human.

Bulbi. Bulbsoriginal: Bulbi are round, layered roots, such as those of the hyacinth, asphodel, and meadow saffron.

C

Cachryes. CachryesCatkins. are oblong, nut-like clusters like tassels, which hang down from the branches packed together like scales. They grow in winter, open into yellowish scales in spring, and fall off when the leaf emerges; such things may be seen in the fir, the spruce, and many others. Pliny calls them "little pills."

Calathus. CalathusA basket-shaped flower; a lily cup. is a straight top—that is, something that spreads out from a narrow point into width. The flowers of lilies clearly represent the shape of a calathus.

Calyx. CalyxThe husk or bud-covering. is the small pod by which the flower is first enclosed, and later the offspring of the seed.

Capillamēta. CapillamentaFilaments or hair-like fibers. are the name for rounded and oblong particles thinned out in the manner of a hair (capillus).

Caput. CaputA head or bulbous growth. is that which swells outward into a ball, either upward or downward, or is gathered into a circle. If it is smaller in size, it is called a capitulum (little head). However, they also call the end part of a vine the caput—that is, the final and most extended shoot.

Capreoli. CapreoliTendrils. are the little stalks twisted like certain curls appearing on the tenderer vine-shoots, by which the vine, as if with certain hands, embraces and grips its supports. For these creep along to find a place to take hold of, so that they may hold the vine; hence they are called capreoli from "taking hold" (capiendo).

Caro. CaroPulp or "flesh." is the name for that which lies beneath the bark.

Caudex. CaudexThe main stem or trunk. is the name in trees and shrubs for that which rises as a single unit from the root above the ground, and into which nourishment is carried from the root.

Caulis. CaulisThe stalk of an herb., and...