A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Carina,-ae (s.f.I), abl.sg. carina, nom.pl. carinae, acc. pl. carinas, dat.& abl.pl. carinis.: keel, q.v. (Diatoms); “Keel, a sharp or abrupt fold; “formed in the manner of the keel of a boat; that is to say, with a sharp projecting ridge, arising from a flat or concave central plate, as the glumes of Grasses” (Lindley); see boat-shaped; note that carina also seems to be used to designate a (lofty) keel, that is, a ridge, q.v.; it is also somewhat used for ‘crest;’ = Gk. -tropis,-idis (s.f.III),q.v., ‘keel;’ see keel;

1. “carina. A keel. The two anterior petals of a papilionaceous flower, the three anterior in a Milkwort [Polygala vulgaris L. or Polygala spp.], or any such” (Lindley); “a keel; used either for the two combined lower petals of a papillionaceous corolla” (Fernald 1950).

2. Also the thin sharp back of certain parts; as that of a glume of Phalaris, &c.” (Lindley); “a keel; ... a salient longitudinal projection on the center of the lower face of an organ, as on the lemmas of many Grasses” (Fernald 1950);

3. (bryology) “a ridge formed along a sharp fold of a leaf (Fontinalis, Schistochila), perianth (Lejeuneaceae) or involucre (some species of Riella)” (Magill 1990);

- setulae intra squamas prope carinam (Swartz), with the setulae [i.e. small bristles] among the scales along the keel.

- alis carina vix longioribus (F. Mueller), with the wings scarcely longer than the keel.

- vexillo alas aequante carinam superante (F. Mueller), with the vexillum equallin [in length] the wings, over-topping the keel the wings.

- alis apice sordide fulvis carinae rubrae aequilongis (F. Mueller), with the wings at the apex dirty brownish, equal in length to the red keel.

- labellum intus fusco-rubrum secus axin carinasque flavidum (F. Mueller), the labellum inside grayish-brown, yellowish along the axis and keels.

- vexillum carinam longius unguiculatam aequans (F. Mueller), the vexillum equalling the keel [which is] more longly unguiculate.

- sepala ad carinam saepe parum erosa,, the sepals often somewhat erose on the keel.

- petala lateralia carinam obtusam galeatam utrinque minute obtuseque lobulatam paulo superantia (F. Mueller), the lateral petals slightly over-topping the obtuse, galeate, on both sides minutely and obtusely lobulate keel.

- carina atro- purpurea alas vix superans, the keel black-purple scarcely overtopping the wings.

- capsulis reticulatis carina et margine ciliatis (DeCandolle), with the capsules reticulate, ciliate on the keel and margin.