Latin description
Herbae aquaticae perennes, parvae. Folia sessilia disticha, simplicia, digitata, 3-8 segmentis, base expansa vaginantia; segmenta in forma et magnitudine variabilia, foliorum juniorum segmento centrali longiori, lineari, cylindrico, interdum apicem versus applanato, flexibili, caduco; segmentis lateralibus 2-3, spiniformibus, induratis, interdum in caulibus veteribus. Flores 1-1aliquot per caulem, apicales, hermaphroditi, zygomorphi, pedicellati, per spathellam saccatam tecti; tepala plerumque 3, squamiformia; stamina plerumque 2, libera, ad pistilli latus disposita, caduca; antherae basifixae, introrse longitudinaliterque dehiscentes; pollinis grana in tetradibus, tricolpata; ovarium 2-carpellare, 2-loculare, in gynophoro per anthesis elonganti portatum; stigmata plerumque 2, libera; fructus capsularis, 2-locularis, duabus valvis aequalibus, persistentibus, utraque 3-costata; semina ignota.
Translation
Herbs aquatic, perennial, small. Leaves sessile, distichous, simple, digitate, with 3-8 segments, and with an expanded, sheathing base; the segments variable in shape and size, with the central segment of younger leaves longer, linear, cylindric, sometimes flattened toward the apex, flexible, caducous; with the 2-3 lateral segments spine-like, indurate, usually persistent on old stems. Flowers 1 to several per stem, apical, bisexual, zygomorphic, pedicellate, covered by a saccate spathella; tepals usually 3, scale-like; stamens usually 2, free, arranged to the side of the pistil, caducous; anthers basifixed, dehiscing introrsely and longitudinally; pollen grains in tetrads, tricolpate; ovary 2-carpellate, 2-locular, borne on a gynophore that elongates throughout anthesis; stigmas usually 2, free; fruit capsule-like, 2-locular, with two equal, persisting valves, each valve 3-nerved; seeds unknown.
| Herbs | Herbae - nominative plural of first declension feminine noun herba, -ae |
| aquatic, | aquaticae - nominative plural feminine of group adjective aquaticus, -a, -um; modifies Herbae |
| perennial, | perennes - nominative plural feminine of group B adjective perennis, -is, -e; modifies Herbae |
| small. | parvae - nominative plural feminine of group A adjective parvus, -a, -um; modifies Herbae |
| Leaves | Folia - nominative plural of second declension neuter noun Folium, -i |
| sessile, | sessilia - nominative plural neuter of group B adjective sessilis, -is, -e; modifies Folia |
| distichous, | disticha - nominative plural neuter of group A adjective distichus, -a, -um; modifies Folia |
| simple, | simplicia - nominative plural neuter of group B adjective simplex, simplex, simplex; modifies Folia |
| digitate, | digitata - nominative plural neuter of group A adjective digitatus, -a, -um; modifies Folia |
| with 3-8 segments, | segmentis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun segmentum, -i |
| and | added for ease of reading |
| with an expanded, | expansa - ablative singular feminine of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb expando, expandere, expandi, expansus; modifies base |
| sheathing | vaginantia - ablative singular feminine of group B adjective vaginans, vaginantis; modifies base |
| base; | base - ablative singular of third declension feminine noun basis, basis |
| the segments | segmenta - nominative plural of second declension neuter noun segmentum, -i |
| variable | variabilia - nominative plural neuter of group B adjective variabilis, -is, -e; modifies segmenta |
| in | in - preposition [takes ablative] |
| shape | forma - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun forma, -ae; object of in |
| and | et - conjunction |
| size, | magnitudine - ablative singular of third declension feminine noun magnitudo, magnitudinis; object of in |
| with the central | centrali - ablative singular neuter of group B adjective centralis, -is, -e; modifies segmento |
| segment | segmento - ablative singular of second declension neuter noun segmentum, -i |
| of younger | juniorum - genitive plural neuter of comparative degree of group B adjective juvenis, -is, -e; modifies foliorum |
| longer, | longiori - ablative singular neuter of comparative degree of group A adjective longus, -a, -um; modifies segmento. [Should the form have been longiore?] |
| linear, | lineari - ablative singular neuter of group B adjective linearis, -is, -e; modifies segmento |
| cylindric, | cylindrico - ablative singular neuter of group A adjective cylindricus, -a, -um; modifies segmento |
| sometimes | interdum - adverb |
| flattened | applanato - ablative singular neuter of group A adjective applanatus, -a, -um; modifies segmento |
| toward | versus - preposition [takes accusative] |
| the apex, | apicem - accusative singular of third declension masculine noun apex, apicis; object of versus |
| flexible, | flexibili - ablative singular neuter of group B adjective flexibilis, -is, -e; modifies segmento |
| caducous; | caduco - ablative singular neuter of group A adjective caducus, -a, -um; modifies segmento |
| with the 2-3 lateral | lateralibus - ablative plural neuter of group B adjective lateralis, -is, -e; modifies segmentis |
| segments | segmentis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun segmentum, -i |
| spine-like, | spiniformibus - ablative plural neuter of group B adjective spiniformis, -is, -e; modifies segmentis |
| indurate, | induratis - ablative plural neuter of perfect passive participle of first conjugation verb induro, -are, -avi, -atus; modifies segmentis |
| usually | interdum - adverb |
| persistent | [added to clarify meaning] |
| on | in - preposition [takes ablative] |
| old | veteribus - ablative plural masculine of group B adjective vetus, vetus, vetus; modifies caulibus |
| stems. | caulibus - ablative plural of third declension masculine noun caulis, caulis |
| Flowers | Flores - nominative plural of third declension masculine noun flos, floris |
| 1 to several | aliquot - indeclinable number |
| per | per - preposition [takes accusative] |
| stem, | caulem - accusative singular of third declension masculine noun caulis, caulis |
| apical | apicales - nominative singular masculine of group A adjective apicalis, -is, -e; modifies Flores |
| bisexual, | hermaphroditi - nominative plural masculine of group A adjective hermaphroditus, -a, -um; modifies Flores |
| zygomorphic | zygomorphi - nominative plural masculine of group A adjective zygomorphus, -a, -um; modifies Flores |
| pedicellate, | pedicellati - nominative plural masculine of group A adjective pedicellatus, -a, -um; modifies Flores |
| covered | tecti - nominative plural masculine of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb tego, tegere, texi, tectus; agrees with Flores |
| by | per - preposition [takes accusative] |
| a saccate | saccatam - accusative singular feminine of group A adjective saccatus, -a, -um; modifies spathellam |
| spathella; | spathellam - accusative singular of first declension feminine noun spathella, -ae; object of per |
| tepals | tepala - nominative plural of second declension neuter noun tepalum, -i |
| usually 3, | plerumque - adjective plerusque, pleraque, plerumque used as an adverb |
| scale-like; | squamiformia - nominative plural neuter of group B adjective squamiformis, -is, -e; modifies tepala |
| stamens | stamina - nominative plural of third declension neuter noun stamen, staminis |
| usually 2, | plerumque - adjective plerusque, pleraque, plerumque used as an adverb |
| free, | libera - nominative plural neuter of group A adjective liberus, -a, -um; modifies stamina. [Should the word be distincta (distinct)?] |
| arranged | disposita - nominative plural neuter of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb dispono, disponere, disposui, dispositus; agrees with stamina |
| to | ad - preposition [takes accusative] |
| the side | latus - [Why not laterem, accusative singular of third declension neuter noun latus, lateris?] |
| of the pistil, | pistilli - genitive singular of second declension neuter noun pistillum, -i |
| caducous; | caduca - nominative plural neuter of group A adjective caducus, -a, -um; modifies stamina |
| anthers | antherae - nominative plural of first declension feminine noun anthera, -ae |
| basifixed, | basifixae - nominative plural feminine of group A adjective basifixus, -a, -um; modifies antherae |
| dehiscing | dehiscentes - nominative plural feminine of present active participle of third conjugation verb dehisco, -ere, -ivi, --- |
| introrsely | introrse - adverb |
| and | -que at the end of longitudinaliterque |
| longitudinally; | longitudinaliterque minus the terminal -que - adverb |
| pollen | pollinis - genitive singular of third declension neuter noun pollen, pollinis |
| grains | grana - nominative plural of second declension neuter noun granum, -i |
| in | in - preposition [takes ablative] |
| tetrads, | tetradibus - ablative plural of third declension feminine noun tetras, tetradis; object of in |
| tricolpate; | tricolpata - nominative plural neuter of group A adjective tricolpatus, -a, -um; modifies grana |
| ovary | ovarium - nominative singular of first declension neuter noun ovarium, -i |
| 2-carpellate, | carpellatum [carpellare is an error] - nominative singular neuter of group A adjective carpellatus, -a, -um; modifies ovarium |
| 2-locular, | loculare - nominative singular neuter of group B adjective locularis, -is, -e; modifes ovarium |
| borne | portatum - nominative singular neuter of perfect passive participle of first conjugation verb porto, -are, -avi, -atus; agrees with ovarium |
| on | in - preposition [takes ablative] |
| a gynophore | gynophoro - ablative singular of second declension neuter noun gynophorum, -i; object of in |
| that elongates | elonganti - ablative singular neuter of present active participle of first conjugation verb elongo, -are, -avi, -atus; agrees with gynophoro |
| throughout | per - preposition [takes accusative] |
| anthesis; | anthesin - accusative singular of third declension noun anthesis, anthesis; object of per |
| stigmas | stigmata - nominative plural of third declension neuter noun stigma, stigmatis |
| usually 2, | plerumque - adjective plerusque, pleraque, plerumque used as an adverb |
| free; | libera - nominative plural neuter of group A adjective liberus, -a, -um; modifies stigmata [perhaps should be distincta (distinct), indicating a separation of like parts] |
| fruit | fructus - nominative singular of fourth declension masculine noun fructus, fructus |
| capsule-like, | capsularis - nominative singular masculine of group B adjective capsularis, -is, -e; modifies fructus |
| 2-locular, | locularis - nominative singular masculine of group B adjective locularis, -is, -e; modifies fructus |
| with two | duabus - ablative plural feminine of irregular adjective duo, duae, duo; modifies valvis |
| equal, | aequalibus - ablative plural feminine of group B adjective aequalis, -is, -e; modifies valvis |
| persisting | persistentibus - ablative plural feminine of present active participle of third conjugation verb persisto, -ere, -iti, -itus; modifies valvis |
| valves, | valvis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun valva, -ae |
| each [valve] | utraque - nominative singular feminine of group A adjective uterque, utraque, utrumque; substantive use of adjective |
| 3-nerved; | costata - nominative singular feminine of group A adjective costatus, -a, -um; modifies utraque |
| seeds | semina - nominative plural of third declension neuter noun semen, seminis |
| unknown. | ignota - nominative plural neuter of group A adjective ignotus, -a, -um |
Comments and corrections are welcome and should be sent to info@vfthomas.com. Thanks.