A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Lemma, “the palea or flowering glume of a grass” (Jackson), see ‘pale;’ “the lower of the two bracts enclosing the flower in the spikelet of grasses, formerly called the flowering glume” (Fernald 1950): lemma,-atis (s.n.III), acc. sg. lemma, dat. sg. lemmati, abl.sg. lemmate, nom.& acc. pl. lemmata, gen. pl. lemmatum, dat.& abl.pl. lemmatibus [> Gk. lemma, a husk); gluma,-ae (s.f.I) florens,-entis (part B.); see glume; see pale;

- lemma sterile breve, 6-8 mm longum, glabrum, sterile lemma short, 6-8 mm long, glabrous.

- lemmate sterili brevi 9-10 mm longo, with the sterile lemma short, 9-10 mm long.

- lemma spiculam aequans, erectum, ovatum, 3-nerve, lemma equalling spikelet, erect, ovate, 3-nerved (Stearn).

- lemmata erecta oblonga, ciliata, lemmas erect oblong ciliate (Stearn, 1983).

- gluma prima 0.8--1.8 mm longa, gluma secunda 1.3--2 mm longa; lemma 1.7--2.3(--2.7) mm longum.

- lemmata fertilia 18—21 mm longa, lanceolata, fertile lemma 18—21 mm long.

- lemma princeps lanceolatum, quinquenervium, laeve per plagas, pilosum prope marginem et secundum medinervum ad basas, principle lemma lanceolate, 5-nerved, smooth on the flat areas (=laminae), pilose near and margine and the second [sc. lemma] at the bases along the midnerve.

- lemmata sterilia nulla, sterile lemmas none.

- lemma fertile anguste oblongum, ex apice longe aristatum, coriaceum, lateribus pilis minutissimis adpressis obscure asperulum vel ferre laeve, marginibut prope apicem minute scaberulum, carina et marginibus apice pilis setaceis brevibus erectis hispido-ciliatum, 3-nerve; fertile lemma narrowly oblong, from the apex long-awned, leathery, at the sides with very minute appressed hairs obscurely asperulous or nearly smooth, at the margins near the apex minutely scaberulous, at the keel and margins at the apex with setaceous short erect hairs hispid-ciliate, 5-nerved (H. C. Hubbard in Stearn, 1983).

- palea lemmate paullo longior, the palea somewhat longer than the lemma.

NOTE: the palea is “the tiny upper bract which with the lemma incloses the flower in Grasses” (Fernald 1950). The lemma is below the palea. The lemma and palea together are above the two [lower] glumes at the base of the spikelet.

NOTE: the palea is also called the "fertile lemma." The lower lemma is also called the "flowering glume." Together, there is only one lemma and one palea, subtended by two glumes, the lower and upper glume.

NOTE: gluma sterile (adj.B), abl. sg. gluma sterili, the third glume (Jackson).

NOTE: gluma,-ae (s.f.I) is a Latin word ('husk,' feminine, first decl.) but lemma,-atis (s.n.III)is a Greek word (neuter, third decl.).

NOTE: ‘lemma’ is not used by Bentham & Hooker (Gramineae).

Column, “in some grass genera, such as Dimeria, the column refers to that of the awn of the lemma” (Lindley); “the lower, twisted portion of the awn of grasses, not always present (Trimen)” (Jackson); columna,-ae (s.f.I).