A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

caducus,-a,-um (part.A): caducous, falling, falling off easily, or before the usual time, esp. of floral organs; dropping off or detaching early, that which has fallen or is failing, deciduous, q.v.; superl. caducissimus,-a,-um (adj.A); deciduous, “not persistent, not evergreen;’ opp. persistent, q.v. [> L. caducus,-a,-um (adj.A) falling, inclined to fall > cado, cecidi, casum, 3, to fall down, go down, fall, be precipitated]; cf. deciduous; cf. fragile;

cf. fugax,-acis (adj.B), q.v.,, fugacious, fleeting, transitory, ephemeral, short-lived; “withering or falling off quickly; fleeting” (Stearn 1996).

- stipulae caducissimae (B&H), stipules very easily falling away.

- inflorescentiarum bracteis involucratis caducis, with the involucral bracts of the inflorescences falling off.

- sepala 5 - 6 , caduca v. subpersistentia (B&H), sepals 5-6, early falling away or somewhat persistent.

- flores speciosi, rosei v. flavi, petalis caducissimis (B&H), the flowers showy, rose-colored or yellow, with the petals very early falling away.

- fructus loculi axi persistenti e stylo formato filis tenuibus affixi, cito caduci (B&H), the locules of the fruit a persistent axis, formed from the style attached with delicate threads, quickly falling away.

- bracteas et bracteolse nunc conspicuas et persistentes, nunc caducissima? v. 0 (B&H), the bracts and bracteoles sometimes conspicuous and persistent, sometimes very easily falling off early, or none.

- foliola oblonga, obtusa, cóncava, caduca (Swartz), leaflets oblong, obtuse, concave, caducous.

- polygynanda interior, decidua, 5-sepala: sepalis aequalibus, recurvis. Stamina 5, brevissima, caduca. (Necker), inner polygynanda deciduous [i.e. not persistent], 5-sepaled, with the sepals equal, recurved. Stamens 5, very short, quickly falling.

- corolla nunc 5-petala, basi post inflorescentiam circumscissa et caduca (DeCandolle), the corolla sometimes 5-petaled, at the base, after the period of flowering opening in a circle and quickly falling.

Sylva (s.f.I) caducifolia, deciduous forest.

Eupatorium caducisetum, with an early-falling bristle (seta); Senecio caducifolius, with early falling leaves; Vernonia caducissima, very early falling.

“Duration and Fall of the Leaf.-The leaf varies as regards its duration, and receives different names accordingly. Thus when it falls off soon after its appearance, it is said to be fugacious or caducous; if it lasts throughout the season in which it is developed, it is deciduous or annual” (Bentley).