A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Ellychnium,-ii (s.n.II), abl.sg. ellychnio = Gk. ellychnion: a lamp-wick;

- [Critica (critique)] Confervæ Plinii titulo figuram ejus exhibuit Lobelius 0bs. p. 654. Icon. Part. II. p. 257. Teut. II. p. 293. “Eamque spongiois, flexuosis, sesquicubitalibus & longioribus quasi ellychniis, & quasi fusco virentibus staminibus villorum cirris lene fluentibus aquis fluitare observat" (Dill.), Lobelius presented his figure of Confervae with an inscription [i.e. a writing] of Pliny’s Obs. p. 654 Icon. Part. II. p. 257. Teut. II p. 293: “he observed it [i.e. the conferva] to float on water, gently gliding like spongy, flexuose, one-and-a-half-cubital [i.e. 27 inches] and longer lamp-wicks, as it were, & as sort of dingy [i.e. dull brown] -green distaff-threads with tendrils of villi [i.e. long, weak hairs].

NOTE: sesqui-, one plus one half; cubitalis = 18 inches: sesquicubitalis, 18 inches + 9 = 27 inches.