A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Catkin (Eng.noun) [= little cat or kitten, presumably a reference to its tail]; “a deciduous spike, consisting of unisexual apetalous flowers. An amentum” (Lindley); in Palms, used to describe a cylindrical rachilla resulting when flowers are densely crowded: amentum,-i (s.n.II), abl. sg. amento, nom. & acc. pl. amenta, dat. & abl. pl. amentis, lit. 'strap, thong'; cf. strobilus,-i (s.m.II);

- flores dioici in amenta dispositi, flowers dioecious in catkins arranged (Stearn).

- amentum masculum parvum gracile 2 cm. longum, male catkin small slender 2 cm. long (Stearn)..

- amenta villosa erecta densa ante foliorum evolutionem prodeuntia, catkins villous erect dense before unfolding of leaves produced (Stearn)..

- arbores vel frutices amentis sessilibus vel pedunculatis coaetaneis aut praecocibus, trees or shrubs with catkins sessile or peduncled at the same time as the leaves or before them (Stearn).

Catulus,-i (s.m.II), abl. sg. catulo: a catkin, or amentum (Lindley).

Cupuliferae,-arum (pl.f.I): “in some classifications: an order or family of catkin-bearing trees including oaks, chestnuts, beeches, birches, and others that are now usually divided among the families Betulaceae and Fagaceae” (WIII).

Gosling (Eng.noun), q.v.: “an old term for catkin, as resembling a soft-feathered young goose” (Jackson).

NOTE: julus,-i (s.m.II), abl.sg. julo, “catkin; modern Latin for an amentum or spike, an old term for catkin, or spike, such as in Acorus Calamus L.” (Jackson).

NOTE: nucamentum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. nucamento: “(obsol.) an amentum or catkin” (Lindley).

catkin, in the form of a: amentaceus,-a,-um (adj.A), q.v., amentiformis,-e (adj.B), q.v.; julaceus,-a,-um (adj.A), juliformis,-e (adj.B).