A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Involucre, “a ring or rings of bracts surrounding several flowers. (obsol.) also the peridium, volva, or annulus of some Fungals” (Lindley); “1) a ring of bracts, surrounding several flowers or their supports, as in the heads of Composites, or the umbels of Umbelliferae; 2) the tissue of the thallus in Anthoceroteae, grown up and overarching the embryo, afterwards pierced by the lengthening sporogonium, 3) the peridium, volva or annulus in Fungi (Lindley); 4) the indusium of Ferns” (Jackson); “a circle or collection of bracts surrounding a flower-cluster or head or a single flower” (Fernald 1950); the whorl of bracts subtending a flower or flower cluster; (in bryophytes) “a protective sheath of tissue of thalline origin surrounding a single antheridium (e.g., some Sphaerocarpales), archego9nium or sporophyte (e.g., Marchantiaceae, Metzgeriales and Anthocerotophyta); often used loosely as a general term for any sheath-like structure surrounding sporophytes or gametangia; archaic term for perigonial and perichaetial leaves” (Magill 1990): involucrum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. involucro, nom.& acc.pl. involucra, dat.& abl.pl. involucris [> L. involucrum,-i (s.n.II), abl. sg. involucro (involvo) ‘that in which something is wrapped, a wrapper, covering, case, envelope’]; cf. pseudoperianth;

- flores (flosculi auct. plur.) plures in receptaculo communi (clinanthio auct. pl.) sessiles involucro communi (periclinio auct. pl.) e bracteis (squamis, phyllis vel phyllariis auct. plur.) 1- [infinity sign]-seriatis liberis concretisve cincti, capitulum (anthodium vel calathidium auct. plur.) florem singulum simulans formantes, flowers (florets of many authors) many on a common receptacle (clinanthium of many authors) sessile, by a common involucre (periclinium of many authors) out of bracts (scales, phylla or phyllaries of many authors) in one to an indefinite number of series free or joined together surrounded, forming a head (anthodium or calathidium of many authors) resembling a single flower (Stearn).

- involucrum cylindraceum angustum post anthesin basi aequale vel parum ampliatum, bracteis pauciseriatis scarioso-marginatis fructiferis immutatis, intimis elongatis subaequalibus, exterioribus gradatim brevioribus vel paucis brevissimisque, involucre cylindric narrow after anthesis at the base even or little increased, with bracts in few series scariose-margined in the fruiting state unchanged, with the innermost ones elongated almost equal, with the outer ones gradually shorter or few and very short (Stearn).

- involucri cylindrici viridis bracteae pauciseriatae scarioso-marginatae acuminatae, of the cylindric green involucre the bracts in few series scariose-margined acuminate (Stearn).

- involucra e basi late rotundata fere semiglobosa dense nigro-glandulosa, squamis lanceolatis acutis usque ad 1 cm. longis, involucre from the base broadly rounded almost half-globose densely black-glandular, with the scales lanceolate acute up to 1 cm. long (Stearn).

- involucris hemisphaericis vel campanulatis viridibus glandulosis, with involucres hemispherical or campanulate green glandular (Stearn).

- involucri campanulati phylla imbricata nigra, praeter marginem interdum ciliatum glabra, quoad formam et magnitudinem valde variabilia, exteriora ovata, interiora oblonga, of the campanulate involucre the phylla overlapping black, except for the sometimes ciliate margin glabrous, as to shape and size very variable, the outer ovate the inner oblong (Stearn).

- involucro involucellisque 5-6-foliolatis (Boissier), with the involucre and involucels 5-6-leafletted.

“Basi bracteolatum” = involucrum basi bracteolatum [‘basi’ = abl. sg.], i.e. an involucre bracteolate at the base: “a term applied chiefly to the involucre of a Composite, when it is surrounded at the base by a distinct order of bracts” (Lindley).

Calyx communis (adj.B), abl. sg. calyce communi, “(obs.) the old name of the involucre of Composites, etc.” (Lindley).

Cupula,-ae (s.f.I), q.v., a cup-shaped involucre in which the bracts are indurated and coherent and which is especially characteristic of the oak [Quercus].

Floral envelope, “the calyx and corolla, one or both” (Lindley); envelope, a surrounding part: involucrum,-i (s.n.II), abl. sg. involucro, 'involucre, the whorl of bracts subtending a flower or flower cluster;' floral envelope: the perianth or its analogues (Jackson).

General involucre: “that which is at the base of a compound umbel” (Jackson): involucrum (s.n.II) generale (adj.B), abl. sg. involucro generali.

Partial or secondary involucre, “that which surrounds a partial umbel” (Jackson): involucrum partiale, abl. sg. involucro partiale.

Perianthium,-ii (s.n.II), abl. sg. perianthio: “the floral envelope, consisting of the calyx and corolla (when present), whatever their form” (Fernald 1950).

Perichaetium, q.v., “the involucre around the base of the seta in Mosses” (Jackson): perichaetium,-ii (s.n.II).

Periphoranthium,-ii (s.n.II), abl. sg. periphanthio: “(obsol.) the involucre of Composites” (Lindley; Jackson).

Plecolepis,-idis (s.f.III), abl. sg. plecolepide: “(obsol.) an involucre of Composites, in which the bracts are united into a cup” (Lindley).

Involucra lignea (adj.A): “(obsol.) the name given by Malpighi to the concentric zones of wood in Exogens” (Lindley).

NOTE: The divisions of the involucre have been variously termed, e.g. bractea, phyllum, phyllarium, squama, tegula (Stearn).

NOTE: perigynium,-ii (s.n.II), q.v., abl. sg. perigynio: the involucre of the female inflorescence in Bryophytes” (Jackson)