A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Serica,-orum (pl.n.II), abl. pl. sericis: silk garments, fabrics, etc.;

- sunt mihi specimina serici vario colore purpureo tincta, quae post 15-. jam annos splendorem & colorem servant in charta cum hoc Musco reposita, soli nempe & aëri non exposita (Dill.), I have, among my specimens of silk, those that are tinged with a variegated purple color, which even after 15- years, retain the radiance and color on a sheet of paper preserved with this Muscus [i.e. Coralloides], that is, not having been exposed to the sun and air. [Note: the species of Coralloides = Roccella tinctoria DC. = Lecanora tinctoria (DC.) Czerwiak; Roccells tinctoria = source of litmus dye, turning red or blue under acidic and basic conditions respectively].

- Infectores nostri hanc Plantam appellant vernaculo nomine ‘Roccella,’ vel “Orcella,” vel Raspa,” ejusque ope sericum, & lanam peculiari quodam colore subpurpureo imbuunt, quem Columbinum vocant, ob similitudinem cum collo Columbino (Mich.), our [local or native] dyers call this plant with the vernacular name ‘Roccella,’ or ‘Orcella,’ or Raspa,’ by the means of which they imbue silk and wool with a certain peculiar purplish color, which they call Columbinum, due to the similarity with a dove’s neck.