A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Cacumen,-inis (s.n.III), abl. sg. cacumine: extreme point, peak, extreme top, as the summits of mountains, the tree-tops [canopy]; the end, limit; cf. apex, summum,-i (s.n.II); see canopy, summit, top;

NOTE: Lindley uses this word as ‘obsolete’ or ‘misapplied’ as “the axis of anything. The line, real or imaginary, that passes from the base to the summit of anything” (Lindley). Jackson, however (as obsolete), indicates ‘cacumen’ is “the apex of an organ.”

- cacumen harundinis, the points [i.e. tips] of reeds.

- cacumen ulmi amputatum, the pruned canopy of an elm.

- folia ad cacumina plerumque solummodo acuta, the leaves at their extreme tops usually only acute.

- adultior caulis frutescens evadit, radiculis tamen arboris cujusdam trunco adherens, ad cacumen saepe excurrit (Swartz), when more mature, the stem becomes shrubby, with rootlets, however, adhering to the trunk of the same tree, it often runs out to the canopy [i.e. the treetop].

- Caulis inferne suffrutescens, superne divisus, ramis herbaceis ad cacumina arborum saepe scandens (Swartz), the stem below suffrutescent [i.e. a subshrub], above divided, with herbaceous branches to the top of the tree [i.e. the treetop or canopy] often climbing.

- [moss] in Phasco, Tortula plurimisque generibus monoicis, flos foemineus trunci cacumen tenet, masculus vero paulo inferius in foliorum alis reconditur (Bridel), in Phascum, Tortula and many monoicous genera, the female flowers hold to the summit of the trunk [i.e. stem or main axis], the masculine are hidden in fact, a little lower in the axils of the leaves.

- Alyssum Atlanticum, in Cretae rupibus, et in Atlantis cacumine (DeCandolle), Alyssum Atlanticum, on the rocks of Crete, and on the summit of Mount Atlas [i.e. the peaks of the Atlas Mountains].

- in cacumine montis summi Erkauit, on the peak of the mountain of the top of Erkauit.

- in cacumine Tauriae montium (DeCandolle), on the peak of the mountains of the Crimea [Tauria = Crimea].

- Hab. in cacumine Sierra de Gador fodinis plumbeis (Boissier), it grows in the summit of the Sierra de Gador, in the lead mines.

- in cacumine montium Teneriffae (DeCandolle), in the summit of the mountains of Tenerife.

- in summis Andium cacuminibus saxosis (DeCandolle, on the highest peaks of the Andes.

- Hab. in cacumine Sierra de Gador fodinis plumbeis (Boissier), it grows in the summit of the Sierra de Gador, in the lead mines.

- in cacumine schistoso-lapidoso montis Lapérouse Tasmaniae (F. Mueller), on the schistose-stony extreme top [i.e. peak] of Lapérouse Mountain of Tasmania.

- in rupibus ad cacumen montis Lindsay (F. Mueller), on rocks at the top of Mount Lindsay.

- ab Ar. aggregata cum qua in Sierra Tejeda cacumine mixtam crescentem, quindecim diesque ocius florentem observavi, statura majore (Boissier), from Arenaria aggregata with which growing mixed on the peak of the Sierra Tejeda, I have observed it flowering fifteen days and faster, with a larger stature.