A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Silique, siliqua, the pod or capsule is more than twice as long as wide; “the long pod-like fruit of Crucifers, consisting of a pair of valves applied to a frame on which the seeds grow” (Lindley); “1. The peculiar pod of the Cruciferae, two valves falling away from a frame, the ‘replum,’ on which the seeds grow, and across which a false partition is formed; 2. (obsol.) by Blair employed for Legume” (Jackson); in capsules of the Cruciferae, with two valves separating from a thin longitudinal partition (septum) known as the replum - the capsule is more than twice as long as wide; see also silicula,-ae (s.f.I) where the capsule is less than twice as long as wide: siliqua,-ae (s.f.I), abl.sg. siliqua, nom. pl. siliquae, acc. pl. siliquas dat. & abl.pl. siliquis [> L. siliqua,-ae (s.f.I), a pod or husk of leguminous plants; pl. (siliquae,-arum) pulse, q.v. (Lewis & Short); cf. siliquor,-ari: to grow or form pods]; see replum; see pod.

Silicle, silicule, silicula, “a silicula about as broad as long, or broader;” (Lindley); “a short silique, q.v., not much longer than wide” (Jackson).

NOTE: silique and silicle are names for any Cruciferous fruit, whether they be long or short, flat or round, four- or two-angled, globose, ovoid, pyriform, etc., and are divided into two groups: fruits that are at most four times as long as broad (silicle) or fruit 4- to infinity as long as broad (the silique) (after Fernald 1950).

- [Cruciferae] fructus elongatus (Siliqua) v. brevis (Silicula), bilocularis v. septo incompleto 1-locularis; saepissime bivalvis, valvis a septo margine placentifero replo apice stigmatifero secedentibus (B&H), the fruit is elongate (a silique) or short (Silicula), bilocular or 1-locular by an incomplete septum; most often bivalved, with the valves placenta-bearing by a septum at the margine, [the valves] splitting apart by a replum at the apex.

- siliqua bicapsularis in seipsam introrsum revolvitur, ac in duo loculamenta 12 dividitur seminibus foeta 4 (Tourn.), siliqua with two capsules, rolled back into itself toward the inside, and into two compartments [i.e. locules] [12] divided, filled with 4 seeds.

- siliquis distincte erectis, latioribus, with the siliques distinctly erect and broader.

- stylo latitudine siliquae (DeCandolle), with the style with the width of the silique.

- siliqua vel 1-locularis, 3-oo-sperma, v. multilocellaris, locellis superpositis monospermis (B&H), the silique either 1-loculare, 3-[numerous]-seeded, or multilocellar, with the locelli superposed, with one seed.

- siliqua elliptica, indehiscens, centro depressa, coriacea, margine incrassato-suberosa (B&H); silique elliptic, indehiscent, depressed in the center, leathery, with the margine thickened-corky.

- siliqua triangularis, pyramidata, rostrata, crassa, intus suberosa et lacunosa, basi utrinque cornuta (B&H); silique triangular, pyramidate, rostrate, thick, corky within and full of cavities (lacumae).

- siliqua latiuscula, compressissima, oligosperma (B&H), the silique rather broad, very compressed, with few seeds.

- siliqua sessilis, compressa v. subtetragona, angusta v. latiuscula (B&H), the silique sessile, compressed or somewhat tetragonal, narrow or somewhat broad.

NOTE: the silique is frequently described as ‘ancipital,’ or ‘two-edged or -sided;’ see anceps, gen. sg. ancipitis (adj.B).

- genus in sectiones 2 dividitur, nempe Cheiri, DC., siliqua ancipiti, stylo 0 et Cheiroides, DC, siliqua tetragona, stylo filiformi, seminibus marginatis (B&H), the genus is divided into two sections, namely [Cheiri] with a two-edged [i.e. 2-sided] silique, with no style; and Cheiroides, DC., with a tetragonal [i.e. 4-sided] silique.

- siliqua varia, valvis turgidis vel siliqua tetragono-anceps, seminibus 1-seriatis oblongis (B&H), silique various, with swollen valves, or with the silique tetragonal-two-edged [i.e. with four, or two sides (flattened)], with the seeds in one row, oblong.

- siliquis 3-4-valvibus erectis apice rigide setosis (DeCandolle), with the siliquas with 3-4 valves, erect, at the apex rigidly setose.

- siliquis a basi ad apicem piloso-setosis (DeCandolle), with the siliques from the base to the apex pilose-setose [i.e. bristly, with the bristles like hairs].

- siliqua mollissime pilosa demum glabrata, nunquam setoso-aspera (DeCandolle), the silique very softly pilose, then glabrate [i.e. almost smooth (hairless)], never setose-roughened.

- Barbarea, siliqua tetragono-anceps, valvis carinatis, the silique four-sided-to two-sided, with carinate valves; the silique “slightly compressed, but quadrangular, the cross section rhombic, two valved” (Asa Gray).

- [Barbarea praecox] siliqua lineari-elongata, compressa ancipiti (Hooker), with the silique linear-elongate, compressed, ancipitous [two-sided, i.e. flat].

- [Cheiranthus. Siliqua compressa v. anceps, the silique compressed or ancipital [i.e. with two sides].

- [Nasturtium anceps; Sisymbrium anceps] siliquis utrinque acuminatis ancipitibus (DeCandolle), with the siliques on both sides [i.e. ends] acuminate, two-sided.

- [Hesperis] siliqua valvis carinatis subanceps, septo fungoso (DeCandolle), silique with the valves carinate, nearly ancipital [i.e. two-edged or compressed] with the septum spongy.

- [Erysimum] E. cuspidatum siliquis stylo triplo longioribus aucipitibus nudis (DeCandolle), with the siliques three times longer than the style, two-sided naked.

- siliqua elliptica compressa polysperma, rarius oligosperma, valvis planiusculis, septo membranaceo, stylo elongato, siliqua elliptic compressed many-seeded, rarely few-seeded, with valves rather flat, with septum membranous, with style elongated.

- siliqua elongata teres, continua vel moniliformis, laevis vel costata, coriacea suberosa vel fungosa, intus continua vel isthmis transversis multilocellaris locellis seminiferis interdum locellis vacuis alternantibus, siliqua elongated terete continuous (uninterrupted) or moniliform (like a string of beads), smooth or ribbed, leathery corky or spongy, inside continuous or by transverse contractions many-chambered, with chambers (locelli) seed-bearing sometimes with chambers empty alternating.

- siliqua a latere compressa, valvis carinatis, siliqua from the side compressed, with valves keeled.

- siliqua globosa vel inflata, hispida vel subechinata, siliqua globose or inflated, hispid or almost spiny (Stearn).

-[Fissidens; moss] in folio tres partes distinguuntur: 1. folii lamina vera horizontalis; 2. lamina dorsalis, e nervi dorso nata verticalis; 3. lamina apicalis, lamina praecedens ultra folii laminam veram horizontalem in utroque nervi latere anceps producta (C. Mueller), three parts are distinguished in the leaf: 1. The true blade of the leaf is horizontal, 2. The dorsal blade, vertical, grown from the dorsal nerve (i.e. costa]; 3. The apical blade, preceeding the blade beyond the true horizontal blade of the leaf two sided extended from each side of the nerve.

- [algae] [Cystoseira abrotanifolia] caule subnullo; frondibus junioribus ancipitibus subcostatis pinnatifìdis, laciniis anguste lanceolatis obtusis integris distichis (Agardh), with almost no stem; with the younger fronds two-sided (i.e. compressed, flat], somewhat ribbed, pinnatifid, with the lacinia narrowly lanceolate, obtuse, entire, distichous.

Siliqua,-ae (s.f.I) (Tournefort);

- siliqua vel 1. unicapsularis est vel 2. bicapsularis, vel 3. articulosa (Tourn.), a silique is either unicapsular or bicapsular or articulated [i.e. with joints];

- 1. unicapularis in duas valvas dehiscere solet, & semina complecti reniformia, etc.

- His alimentum subministratur à vasis per longitudinem partis crassioris sìliquae protensis, quorum ramuli in placentam influunt tenero fructui adhaerescentem (Tourn.) The unicapsular is accustomed to dehisce into two valves, and surround the reniform, etc., seeds. Under these nourishment is served from vessels [i.e. ducts] stretched out of the thicker part of the silique, the little branches of which throughout the length of the thicker part press into the placenta adhering to the tender fruit. NOTE: ‘vasis’ here appears to be abl.pl.

- siliqua bicapsularis in seipsam introrsum revolvitur, ac in duo loculamenta 12 dividitur seminibus foeta (Tourn.), siliqua with two capsules, rolled back into itself toward the inside, and into two compartments [i.e. locules] divided, filled with seeds.

- Demum siliqua articulosa ex pluribus partibus constat articulatione quadam conjunctis, quae singulae semine turgescunt. Loti siliquae arciculatione carent, sed lamellis quibusdam ut plurimüm intercipiuntur & in loculos distinguuntur (Tourn.), finally there is the articulated silique composed of many parts, united together by some kind of articulation [i.e. joint], which individually swells up by the seed. The siliques of Lotus lack an articulation [i.e. joint], but are [nearly always] interrupted by certain lamellae and are separated into little compartments [i.e. locules].