A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

inferus,-a,-um (adj.A): below, lower, placed below, on the lower side, on the bottom; compar. inferior,-ius (adj.B), q.v., (in position) lower;

superl.:

1. infimus,-a,-um (adj.A), q.v., lowest.

2. imus,-a,-um (adj.A), q.v., ‘lowest, lowermost, bottommost.’

opp. supremus,-a,-um (adj.A), q.v., the highest, topmost, also summus,-a,-um (adj.A), q.v., uppermost, highest = (superl. of superus,-a,-um (adj.A), q.v., above, over, on the upper side, on the top; opp. compar. superior,-ius (adj.B), q.v., upper, of an upper position; see superior for discussion of the ovary;

Inferi,-orum (pl.m.II), abl.sg. inferis: those that inhabit the underwork, i.e. those that are dead, and also the gods of the underworld; also, the regions of the dead, the underworld.

- mare inferum, “the Tuscan or Tyrrhenian Sea (opp. mare superum, the Adriatic)” (Glare).

- [lichen] pagina infera thalli e rhizinis tenellis confertis penicillatis hirtella, passim sub lobis subnuda vel denudata (Nyl.), the lower surface of the thallus hirtellus [i.e. minutely hairy] from soft [i.e. delicate] crowded penicillate [i.e. brush-like] rhizines, here and there below the lobes nearly naked or naked [i.e. lacking rhizines].

- ovulorum micropyle infera v. rarius supera (B&H), the micropyle lower [i.e. inferior] or more rarely upper [i.e. superior].

- ovarium syncarpicum, inferum v. superum, calycis tubo inclusum v. exsertum (B&H), the ovary syncarpic, below or above, included in the tube of the calyx or exserted.

- calycis labio superiore latissimo longitudinem inferi triplo excedente (F.Mueller), with the upper lip of the calyx very broad three times exceeding the length of the lower one.

- ovarium inferum vel semisuperum vel superum, ovary inferior [inferus] or half-superior or superior (in relation to insertion of sepals, petals and stamens) (Stearn).

- calycis ciliolati labio supero emarginato parvo longitudine sua vix latiore, labii inferi longioris dentibus deltoideo-lanceolatis, (F. Mueller), with the upper lip of the ciliolate calyx emarginate, small, scarcely wider than its own length, with the teeth of the longer, lower lip deltoid-lanceolate.

- bracteolis cordatis acutis articulum inferum pedicelli crassiusculi superantibus, (F. Mueller), with the bractioles cordate, acute, over-topping the lower joint of the somewhat thick pedicel.

- cal. inferus, tubulosus, medio & versus basin ventricosus (Swartz), the calyx inferior, tubulose, in the middle and toward the base ventricose.

- labio supero 8 mm longo, labio infero 10-14 mm longo, with the upper lip 8 mm long, the lower lip 10-14 mm long.

- capsula medio infero cellulis elongatis, supero magnis celulis incrassatis formata (Steph.), capsula formed in the lower middle with elongate cells, in the upper middle with large thickened cells.

“When we speak of the situation of the germen [i.e. ovary], we must be understood to mean its situation with respect to the calyx, for there may be, instances of the germen beiug encircled by the calyx, and yet being situated below the corolla. It is only in absence of the calyx that the situation is determined by the other parts. Germen superum is also expressed by Flos epicarpius, or Flos superus; and Germen inferum by Flos hypocarpius, or Flos inferus.” (Willdenow).