A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

filiform, thread-like, slender and elongate, filamentous; “thread-shaped; long, slender, and terete” (Fernald 1950); “(of bacterial stab cultures), having equal growth on the line of inoculation” (Ainsworth & Bisby); (fungi) “(of the stipe, spores, etc.) slender as a thread” (S&D) [> L. filum,-i (s.n.II) a thread of anything woven (linen, woollen cloth, a cobweb, of anything slender and drawn out like a thread, a string, cord, filament, fiber, the stamen of the Crocus]: filiformis,-e (adj.B); filamentosus,-a,-um (adj.A); see filamentous; cf. nerviformis,-e (adj.B); see thread-like;

- staminodia filiformia saepe adsunt (B&H), the staminodia filiform, often absent.

- petala totidem, parva, angusta, ungue filiformi ad apicem (B&H), the petals just as many [i.e. as the sepals], small, narrow with a filiform claw at the apex.

- stamina oo; filamenta filiformia, libera (B&H), the stamend [indefinite]; the filaments filiform, free.

- radices ramosae filiformes attenuatae, raro articúlala (Agardh), the roots branched, filiform, attenuate, rarely jointed.

- fronde filiformi subsimplici plana in funiculos laxos contorta (Agardh), with the frond filiform, nearly unbranched, flat, twisted into a loose funiculus.

- pedicellis longis filiformibus post anthesinflexuoso-refractis (Boissier), with the pedicels long, filiform, after the period of flowering flexuous-refractous [i.e. strongly bent backward].

- mericarpia jugis primariis 5 filiformibus (Boissier), mericarps with the primary pairs 5, filiform.

- stigmata brevia canaliculato-filiformia recurva (F. Mueller), the stigmas short, canaliculate-filiform, recurved.

- semina, omnia fertilia, filiformia (Swartz), the seeds, all fertile, filiform.

- pistilium minutissimum; styli 5,, filiformes, remoti (Necker), the pistil very minute; the styles 5, filiform, remote.

scolecoideus,-a,-um (adj.A): scolecoid, resembling a worm or scolex; long and thread- or worm-like.