A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

fovens,-entis (part.B): embracing, enfolding; cherishing; nurturing, refreshing; surrounding, in a protective or nurturing sense, to nurture; (med.) foment, bathe; sponsoring, fostering, comfort, assist [> L. foveo, fovi, fotum [sic], 2. to warm, keep warm, to heat; to keep warm or hot; to support, to favor, foster; to hold in one’s lap].

NOTE: fomentation = application of hot, moist substances to the body to ease pain.

foveantur: third-person plural present passive subjunctive: they may nurture, bathe with (warm) water.

fovet: third-person singular present active indicative: [he/she] it surrounds, encloses;

- [Phragmites macer] gluma florens infima a vacuis distans florem hermaphroditum fovet, the lowermost flowering glume, remote from the empty [i.e. flowerless] ones, encloses the hermaphrodite [i.e. bisexual] flower.

fovit: third-person singular perfect active indicative: [he/she] it has nurtured; sponsored, fostered, supported.

- [Walcottia] Genus dicavi clarissimo Pembertonio Walcott, qui non solum iter Oldfieldii botanicum summo auxilio fovit, sed etiam e vicinia fluminis Murchison herbarium se ipso congestum plantis raris locupletissimum nobis transmisit (F. Muell.), I have dedicated the genus to the [most honorable] Pemberton Walcott, who not only has sponsored, with the greatest support the botanical expedition of Oldfield, but also, from the vicinity of the Murchison river, he himself has transmitted to us [i.e. me] his very rich herbarium congested with rare plants.

- rhachis scrobiculis calyces fructigeros foventibus insculpta, rachis sculptured with pits holding tightly the fruiting calyces (Stearn).

- semen oblongum, ad faciem interiorem sulcatum, laminam endocarpii fovens (B&H), seed oblong, sulcate on the inner face, enfolding the blade of the endocarp.

- calycis tubus saepius ovarium fovens v. ei adnatus (B&H), the tube of the calyx very often embracing the ovary or adnate to it.

- semen oblongum, laminam endocarpii fovens (B&H), the seed oblong, enfolding the lamina of the endocarpium.

- cotyledonibus crassis plumulam saepe insigniter evolutam foventibus (B&H), with the cotyledons thick, enfolding the often remarkably developed plumule.

- cotyledones crasso-carnosae, plumulam valde evolutam foventes(B&H), the cotyledons thick-fleshed, enfolding the strongly developed plumule.

- cotyledones magnae, planae, radiculam superam in emarginatura báseos foventes(B&H), the cotyledons large, flat, enfolding the the superior radicle in an emargination of the base.

- petala 5, cucullata, antheras foventia (B&H), petals 5, cucullate, enfolding the anthers.

- vexillum erectum, in unguem contractum, genitalia fovens (B&H), vexillum erect, contracted into a claw, encircling the genitalia [i.e. sex organs].

- loculis ovula 1-3 pendula foventibus (DeCandolle), with the lovules enfolding 1-3 pendulous ovules.

- placenta semper centralis, intus fila viridia seu flavida nutrientia fovens (DeCandolle), the placenta always central, inside embracing green or yellowish nutrient filaments.

- drupa, 5-locularis: loculis singulis, nucleum foventibus (Necker), drupe 5-locular, with the locules single, enfolding the nutlet.

- [algae] spinae in basi inflata scaphidia foventes (Agardh), spines enfolding the scaphidia [i.e. sporangia] in an inflated base.

- [algae] algae dioicae, fructu duplici semper in diversis individuis: uno saepissime externo, intra pericarpium subgelatinosum aut cellulosum sporas numerosas fovente; altero saepissime immerso intra perisporium hyalinum sporas 4 generante (Agardh), algae dioicous, with the fruit always double in different individuals; with one most often external, within the nearly gelatinous pericarpium or enfolding numerous cellulose spores; the other most often immersed within a hyaline perisporium, generating 4 spores.

- [algae] fructu duplici semper in diversis individuis: uno saepissime externo, intra pericarpium subgelatinosum aut cellulosum sporas numerosas fovente (Agardh), with the fruit always double in diverse individuals: most often with one external, within a somewhat gelatinous pericarpium or enfolding numerous cellulose spores.

- nulli nisi E. Freelingii comparandam speciem nominavimus in honorem cl. Guil. Clarke, Hampdenensis, itinera Oldfieldiana generóse foventis. (F.Mueller), we named the species [for the preparation of noone except E. Freelingii, in honor of the reknowned William Clarke of Hampden, generously sponsoring the Oldfield expedition.

Augustus Frederick Oldfield (1820-1887) conducted botanical and zoological expeditions for the collection of specimens documenting the Australian flora of Tasmania, coastal Western Australia and the Nullarbor Plain and other regions in the 1850’s and 60’s (Wikipedia, Aug. 2015). Sir William John Clarke (1831-1897) was an extraordinary colonialist and philanthropist of colonial Australia. E. Freeling may be related to Arthur Henry Freelin (1820-1885), the fifth Surveyor General of South Australia.