A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

fugax,-acis (adj.B), declined as simplex, q.v., compar. fugacior,-ius; superl. fugacissimus,-a,-um (adj.A): fugacious, fleeting, transitory, transient, ephemeral, short-lived; “falling off, or perishing very rapidly” (Lindley); “withering or falling off quickly; fleeting” (Stearn 1996); (in mycology) evanescent (Ainsworth & Bisby); close in meaning to caducous, q.v. [> L. fuga,-ae (s.f.I) a flight, fleeing, a running away]; sometimes used as deciduous q.v.; opp. persistent, q.v.; cf. evanescens,-entis (part.B), evanidus,-a,-um (adj.A); cf. fugiens-entis (part.B): fleeing, escaping, to pass quickly, hasten away;

- petala subrotunda, fugacia, the petals subround, ephemeral.

- stipulae parvae, saepe fugaces, stipules small, often transitory.

- flores saepe speciosi, fugaces, the flowers often showy, short-lived.

- floribus fugacibus, with flowers quickly withering. (Stearn).

- ramo fructifero fugaci distinguenda, to be distinguished by the fruit-bearing branch short-lived.

- amphigastria nulla vel fugacia, underleaves none or fugacious.

- cortina initialis evidens, sed mox depauperata, fugax, initial partial veil evident, but soon stunted, falling off.

- flores rosacei, petalis fugacissimis, saepius ephemeri, semper diurni, flavi albi aut purpurei, ungue saepe discolore (DeCandolle), the flowers rosaceous, with the petals very fleeting, more often ephemeral, often diurnal [i.e. lasting for a day], yellow, white or purple, with the claw often of another color.

- petala colore Glaucii corniculati, fugacissima (DeCandolle), the petals the color of Glaucium corniculatus, very transitory.

- pedicelli solitarii, basi et ápice cicatricibus bractearum et bracteolarum fugacissimarum non suppetentium notati (F. Mueller), pedicels solitary, marked at the base and apex with the scars of the not present, very transitory bracts and bracteoles.

NOTE: syn: non persistens (part.B), 'not persisting:' inflorescentiis non persistentibus, with inflorescences not persistent.

“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).