A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Monile,-is (s.n.III), abl.sg. monile, nom. & acc. pl. monilia: a necklace, collar “especially of women, but also of boys and of animals” (Lewis & Short); also a collar worn by horses; see necklace.

- ornabant aurata monilia collum, golden necklaces adorn the neck.

- vidit in Herculeo suspensa monilia collo, one sees on Hercules necklaces suspended from his neck.

- aurea pectoribus demissa monilia pendent, golden collars hang, falling down from their breast (bones).

- quo magis extremitatibus appropinquant, eo sensim minoribus, exacte rotùndis, monile seu bullas collares quadantenus referentibus, mucilagine quadam invicem connexis (Dill.), in which place [= quo] [they] draw more near to the extremities, in that direction [= eo] they are gradually smaller, completely rounded, somewhat resembling a necklace or collar bullae [i.e. collar studs (ornaments)], mutually [= invicem] connected by a kind of mucilage.

Trentepohlia monilia De Wildeman , and Amasperma monilia Rafinesque , both freshwater algae, appear to have the plural of the noun as an epithet, nouns in apposition. Monilia billardieri A.Richard, a genus of algae, suggests that Monilia is a generic name, probably a feminine singular as it is doubtful that a plural noun, here a neuter plural of Monile, would be applicable: hence Monilia variegata.