Latin description
Herba perennis (0.35-) 0.48-0.95 m alta e radice palari lignea. Caules laxi, multiplices, e basi et supra ramosi, prostrati vel adscendentes. Folia brevipetiolata, laminis ovalibus vel ovatis vel oblanceolatis; folia inferiora et basalia 3.6-10.3 cm longa, 1-2.2 cm lata, supra pilis minute pustulosis canescentia, subtus pilis cinerascentibus sparsim villoso-tomentosa. Inflorescentia spica composita laxa in pedunculo longo ex spicula terminali et 1-5 paribus spicularum lateralium constans. Spiculae sparsim florifera floribus in spiram 3-seriatam dispositis. Bracteolae 2-2.8 mm longae, interiores exterioribus parum longiores, distaliter grabrae [sic] vel raro minute pubescentes, stramineae. Flores 2.8-4 mm longi. Stamina in tubum largum connata, lobis interstaminalibus terminalibus 0.35-0.55 mm longis, partem connatam perigonii non superantibus, obtusis, brunneolis vel atris, distaliter non recurvatis. Perigonium fructiferum 2.5-3 mm latum, conicum, fere latum quam longum, lateraliter anguste alatum, alis integris vel crenulatis, superficie perigonii indurate nuda.
Translation
Perennial herb (0.35-)0.48-0.95 m tall from a woody taproot. Stems lax, branched from the base and above, prostrate to ascending. Leaves short-petioled, with blades oval to ovate to oblanceolate; the lower and basal leaves 3.6-10.3 cm long, 1-2.2 cm wide, whitish/grayish above with minutely pustulose[-based] hairs, sparsely villous-tomentose below with ash gray hairs. The inflorescence an open compound spike on a long peduncle composed of a terminal spikelet and 1-5 pairs of lateral spikelets. Spikelets sparsely flowered with flowers arranged in a 3-ranked spiral. Bracteoles 2-2.8 mm long, the inner ones slightly longer than the outer ones, distally glabrous or rarely minutely pubescent, stramineous. Flowers 2.8-4 mm long. Stamens connate in a long tube, with terminal interstaminal lobes 0.35-0.55 mm long, not extending beyond the connate portion of the perigonium, obtuse, brownish to black, not recurved distally. Fruit-bearing perigonium 2.5-3 mm wide, conical, nearly as wide as long, narrowly winged laterally, with entire or crenulate wings entire or crenulate, with the surface of the indurate perigonium naked.
| Perennial | perennis - nominative singular feminine of group B adjective perennis, -is, -e; modifies Herba |
| herb | Herba - nominative singular of first declension feminine herba, -ae |
| (0.35-)0.48-0.95 m tall | alta - nominative singular feminine of group A adjective altus, -a, -um; agrees with Herba |
| from | e - preposition [takes ablative] |
| a woody | lignea - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective ligneus, -a, -um; modifies radice palari |
| taproot. | radice palari - ablative singular of third declension feminine noun radix, radicis and ablative singular feminine of group B adjective palaris, -is, -e; object of e |
| Stems | Caules - nominative plural of third declension masculine noun caulis, caulis |
| lax, | laxi - nominative plural masculine of group A adjective laxus, -a, -um; modifies Caules |
| multiple, | multiplices - nominative plural masculine of group B adjective multiplex, -ex, -ex; modifies Caules |
| branched, | ramosi - nominative plural masculine of group A adjective ramosus, -a, -um; modifies Caules |
| from | e - preposition [takes ablative] |
| the base | basi - ablative singular of third declension feminine noun basis, basis; object of e |
| and | et - conjunction |
| above, | supra - adverb |
| prostrate | prostrati - nominative plural masculine of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb prosterno, prosternere, prostavi, prostratus; agrees with Caules |
| to | vel - conjunction |
| ascending. | adscendentes - nominative plural masculine of present active participle of third conjugation verb adscendo, adscendere, adscendi, adscensus; agrees with Caules |
| Leaves | Folia - nominative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| short-petioled, | brevipetiolata - nominative plural neuter of group A adjective brevipetiolatus, -a, -um; modifies Folia |
| with blades | laminis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun lamina, -ae |
| oval | ovalibus - ablative plural feminine of group B adjective ovalis, -is, -e; modifies laminis |
| to | vel - conjunction |
| ovate | ovatis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective ovatus, -a, -um; modifies laminis |
| to | vel - conjunction |
| oblanceolate; | ovatis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective oblanceolatus, -a, -um; modifies laminis |
| the lower | inferiora - nominative plural neuter of comparative degree of group A adjective inferus, -a, -um; modifies folia |
| and | et - conjunction |
| basal | basalia - nominative plural neuter of group B adjective basalis, -is, -e; modifies folia |
| leaves | folia - nominative plural second declension neuter noun folium, -i |
| 3.6-10.3 cm long, | longa - nominative plural neuter of group A adjective longus, -a, -um; modifies folia |
| 1-2.2 cm wide, | lata - nominative plural neuter of group A adjective latus, -a, -um; modifies folia |
| whitish/grayish | canescentia - nominative plural neuter of present active participle of third conjugation verb canesco, canescere, ---, ---; modifies folia |
| above | supra - adverb |
| with minutely | minute - adverb |
| pustulose[-based] | pustulosis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective pustulosus, -a, -um; modifies pilis |
| hairs, | pilis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun pilus, -i |
| sparsely | sparsim - adverb |
| villous-tomentose | villoso-tomentosa - nominative plural neuter of group A adjective villoso-tomentosus, -a, -um |
| below | subtus - adverb |
| with ash gray | cinerescentibus ["cinerascentibus" is an error] - ablative plural masculine of present active participle of third conjugation verb cineresco, -ere, ---, ---; agrees with pilis |
| hairs. | pilis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun pilus, -i |
| The inflorescence | Inflorescentia - nominative singular of first declension feminine noun inflorescentia, -ae |
| an open | laxa - nominative singular feminine of group A adjective laxus, -a, -um; modifies spica |
| compound | composita - nominative singular feminine of perfect passive participle of first conjugation verb compono, componere, composui, compositus; modifies spica |
| spike | spica - nominative singular of first declension feminine noun spica, -ae; agrees with inflorescentia |
| on | in - preposition [takes ablative] |
| a long | longo - ablative singular masculine of group A adjective longus, -a, -um; modifies pedunculo |
| peduncle | pedunculo - ablative singular of second declension masculine noun pedunculus, -i; object of in |
| composed of | constans ... ex - nominative singular feminine of present active participle of first conjugation verb consto, constare, constiti, constatus plus the preposition ex [takes ablative]. In this description ex precedes the participle. |
| a terminal | terminali - ablative singular feminine of group B adjective terminalis, -is, -e; modifies spicula |
| spikelet | spicula - ablative singular of first declension feminine noun spicula, -ae; object of ex |
| and | et - conjunction |
| 1-5 pairs | paribus - ablative plural of third declension feminine noun pars, partis; object of ex |
| of lateral | lateralium - genitive plural feminine of group B adjective lateralis, -is, -e; modifies spicularum |
| spikelets. | spicularum - genitive plural of first declension feminine noun spicula, -ae |
| Spikelets | Spiculae - nominative plural of first declension feminine noun spicula, -ae |
| sparsely | sparsim - adverb |
| flowered | florifera - nominative singular {if florifera modifies Spiculae, why is it not plural?} feminine of group A adjective florifer, -a, -um |
| with flowers | floribus - ablative plural of third declension masculine noun flos, floris |
| arranged | dispositis - ablative plural masculine of perfect passive participle of third conjugation verb dispono, disponere, disposui, dispositus; agrees with floribus |
| in | in - preposition [takes accusative] |
| a 3-ranked | seriatam - accusative singular feminine of group A adjective seriatus, -a, -um; modifies spiram |
| spiral. | spiram - accusative singular of first declension feminine noun spira, -ae |
| Bracteoles | Bracteolae - nominative plural of first declension feminine noun bracteola, -ae |
| 2-8 mm long, | longae - nominative plural feminine of group A adjective longus, -a, -um; agrees with Bracteolae |
| the inner ones | interiores - nominative plural feminine of adjective interior, interior, interius; agrees with Bracteolae |
| slightly | parum - adverb |
| longer | longiores - nominative plural feminine of comparative degree of group A adjective longus, -a, -um; agrees with Bracteolae |
| than the outer ones, | exterioribus - ablative plural feminine of comparative degree of group A adjective exter, extera, exterum |
| distally | distaliter - adverb |
| glabrous | glabrae ["grabrae" is a typographical error] - nominative plural feminine of group A adjective glaber, glabra, glabrum; agrees with Bracteolae |
| or | vel - conjunction |
| rarely | raro - adverb |
| minutely | minute - adverb |
| pubescent, | pubescentes - nominative plural feminine of group B adjective pubescens, pubescens, pubescens; agrees with Bracteolae |
| stramineous. | stramineae - nominative plural feminine of group A adjective stramineus, -a, -um; agrees with Bracteolae |
| Flowers | Flores - nominative plural of third declension masculine noun flos, floris |
| 2.8-4 mm long. | longi - nominative plural masculine of group A adjective longus, -a, -um; agrees with Flores |
| Stamens | Stamina - nominative plural of third declension neuter noun stamen, staminis |
| connate | connata - nominative plural neuter of perfect passive particple of third conjugation verb connascor, ---, connasci, connatus; modifies Stamina |
| in | in - preposition [takes accusative] |
| a long | largum - accusative singular masculine of group A adjective largus, -a, -um; modifies tubum |
| tube, | tubum - accusative singular of second declension masculine noun tubus, -i; object of in |
| with terminal | terminalibus - ablative plural masculine of group B adjective terminalis, -is, -e; modifies lobis |
| interstaminal | interstaminalibus - ablative plural masculine of group B adjective interstaminalis, -is, -e; modifies lobis |
| lobes | lobis - ablative plural of second declension masculine noun lobus, -i |
| 0.35-0.55 mm long, | longis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective longus, -a, -um; modifies lobis |
| not | non - adverb |
| extending beyond | superantibus - ablative plural masculine of present active participle of first conjugation verb supero, -are, -avi, -atus; agrees with lobis |
| the connate | connatam - accusative singular feminine of perfect passive participle of third declension verb connascor, ---, connasci, connatus; modifies partem |
| portion | partem - accusative singular of third declension feminine noun pars, partis |
| of the perigonium, | perigonii - genetive singular of second declension neuter noun perigonium, -i |
| obtuse, | obtusis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective obtusus, -a, -um; modifies lobis |
| brownish | brunneolis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective brunneolus, -a, -um; modifies lobis |
| to | vel - conjunction |
| black, | atris - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective ater, atra, atrum; modifies lobis |
| not | non - adverb |
| recurved | recurvatis - ablative plural masculine of perfect passive participle of first conjugation verb recurvo, -are, ---, -atus; modifies lobis |
| distally. | distaliter - adverb |
| Fruit-bearing | fructiferum - nominative singular neuter of group A adjective fructifer, -a, -um; modifies Perigonium |
| perigonium | Perigonium - nominative singular of second declension neuter noun perigonium, -i; translated by authors as "perianth" |
| 2.5-3 mm wide, | latum - nominative singular neuter of group A adjective latus, -a, -um; agrees with Perigonium |
| conical, | conicum - nominative singular neuter of group A adjective conicus, -a, -um; agrees with Perigonium |
| nearly | fer - adverb |
| [as] wide | latum - nominative singular neuter of group A adjective latus, -a, -um; agrees with Perigonium |
| as | quam - adverb |
| long, | longum - nominative singular neuter of group A adjective longus, -a, -um; agrees with Perigonium |
| narrowly | anguste - adverb |
| winged | alatum - nominative singular neuter of group A adjective alatus, -a, -um; modifies with Perigonium |
| laterally, | lateraliter - adverb |
| with entire | integris - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective integer, integra, integrum; modifies alis |
| or | vel - conjunction |
| crenulate | crenulatis - ablative plural feminine of group A adjective crenulatus, -a, -um; modifies alis |
| wings, | alis - ablative plural of first declension feminine noun ala, -ae |
| with the surface | superficie - ablative singular of fifth declension feminine noun superficies, superficiei |
| of the indurate | indurati - genitive singular neuter of the perfect passive participle of first conjugation verb induro, -are, -avi, -atus; modifies perigonii |
| naked. | nuda - ablative singular feminine of group A adjective nudus, -a, -um; modifies superficie |
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