A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

ceu (adv.): as, like as, just as; “a particle of equality or comparison” (Lewis & Short); as if, just as if, like as if, as though it were; ceu cum, ‘as when;’ cf. velut;

- tenuis fugit ceu fumus in auras, it flies thin, like smoke, into the airs.

- ceu notamus in muscis, just as we know in mosses.

- accedunt in nonnullis foliola parva lacera, absque ordine cauli inter folia, ceu paleae, interspersa; in some [cases/plants] small, lacerated leaflets occur, scattered without order on the stem among the leaves, LIKE [i.e. just as if they were paleae [i.e. chaffe].

-[term] ‘volva,’ Pomi medium in quo ceu loculo latent semina. Scribon. (Ray), the volva is the middle of the apple in which the seeds lie hidden [just] as if [as though] it was a locule [i.e. the cavity of one or more carpels] (Scribonius Largus).

- Si butyro frigatur herba, & abdomini imponatur, certum est contra tormina remedium. [Cam.] ad quod mulierculae ceu ad sacram anchoram confugiunt (Ray), if the herb may be fried in butter, and applied to the abdomen [i.e. the belly], it is a certain cure against bowel pain [i.e. gripe, i.e. gastric or intestinal pain, colic]. [Cam.] to which(common, ordinary) women [nurses?] resort as though it were to ‘sacred trust’ [i.e. ‘sacred anchor,’ i.e. hope].

- [Leskea pulchella] densis cespitibus congesta et erectiuscula; rami per intervalla plures simplices, hinc ceu fasciculati (Hedw.), congested and somewhat erect in dense clods [i.e. clumps]; the branches per interval [i.e. per unit distance between branches] many, simple [i.e. unbranched].

- Homini, ceu praestantissimae huius globi terraquei creaturae concessum constitutumque est, ex omni naturae penu conquirere et depromere ea, quibus vitae suae integritatem felicitatemque conservaret, stabiliret, promoveret (Hedwig), it has been granted and constituted to mankind, as though he were the most excellent creature of this globe [of lands and seas], that he may seek for and draw forth those things from every provision of nature, by which he may care for, make secure and promote the integrity and happiness of his own life.

-[Polytrichum nanum; moss] radiculae tenerrimae, fuscellae; valentiores coloratioresque primordiales, ceu coma contegunt (Hedw.), the radicles are very delicate somewhat darkish brown; the primordial ones [i.e. radicles that are first produced] stouter and more [highly] colored, they cover over JUST AS [i.e. like] a coma [the hair of the head].

- vaginula cylindrum pileatum refert. Residuum enim Calyptrae a rupture repositum, ceu laxum tegmentum membranaceum eiusdem summitati insidet (Hedw.), the vaginula resembles a pileat cylinder. For the residue of the Calyptra is preserved after the rupture, just as if it were were a loose membranaceous covering/cap seated on its summit.