A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

libere (adv.), compar. liberius (adv.), superl liberissime (adv.): freely, unhindered, unrestrained; openly; see freely; opp. (ad)haerens,-entis (part.B), sticking or cleaving to, to adhere; see attached;

NOTE: not ‘freely’ in English, as in the case of ‘liberal:’ i.e. generous, copious.

- trichomata libere natantia, trichomes free-floating.

- abundat quidem capsulis hic Muscus, verum & prior plures libere profert (Dill.), indeed this Moss abounds in capsules, but in fact the previous [species] produces more in large amounts.

- libere fluitans, freely floating

- perichaetium cuspidatum, e squamis angustis, superius libere secedentibus (Dill.), the perichaetium cuspidate, [composed of] narrow scales, the upper ones freely separating off.

- in figuris Bobarti folia nimis recta facta, qualia in sicca & multum compressa sunt, in libere vero exsiccata planta ea magis coëunt & setam arcte cingunt (Dill.), in the figures [i.e. drawings] of Bobart the leaves having been made excessively straight, such as they are in a dried and much compressed [state], but, in fact, in freely dried plants these are more united and they tightly encircle the seta.

- Abundat quidem capsulis hic Muscus, verum & prior plures libere profert (Dill.), indeed this Moss abounds in capsules, but in fact the previous [species] freely produces more.

- in figuris Bobarti folia nimis recta facta, qualia in sicca & multum compressa sunt, in libere vero exsiccata planta ea magis coëunt & setam arcte cingunt (Dill.), in the figures [i.e. representations] of Bobart the leaves having been made excessively straight, such as they are in a dried and much compressed [state], but, in fact, in [freely i.e. naturally] dried plants these are more united and they tightly encircle the seta.

NOTE: this is probably Jacob Bobart “the younger,” i.e. the son of Jacob Bobart “the elder,” who produced a 12 volume ‘hortus siccus,’ or exsiccatum of dried specimens. Both men were superintendents, or head gardeners of the Oxford Botanic Garden.

- in fossis & lacubus Ínsulae Selsey in Sussexia libere fluitantem æstate observavi (Dill.), I have observed it freely floating in summer in ditches and lakes of the Island of Selsey in Sussex [abl.sg.].

- [Conferva palustris bombycina, the Ditch Cotton Conferva] Bullas tum calore æstivo frequentes concipit; nam cum filamenta tenuia & valde implexa sint, fit ut aqua in vaporem resoluta minus libere exhalare queat, sed tomento irretita bullas efficiat, quibus ab aliis Confervis facile dignosci potest hæc species (Dill.), it generates crowded bullae [i.e. globules, beads, knobs] further on from the summer heat; for then when the filaments may be thin and interwoven to a high degree, it happens that as the water is dissipated into a vapor, it is less freely able to evaporate, but it may develop bullas entangled in the tomentum, by which this species is able to be easily distinguished from other Confervas.

- [Conferva marina nodosa lubrica; the slippery red Sea Pearl Conferva] Algæ, Fucis minoribus, lapillisve adnascens elegantissima haec Confervae species, varie in numerosos divisa ramulos hinc inde spargitur,globulis seu nodis, quo magis extremitatibus appropinquant, eo sensim minoribus, exacte rotùndis, monile seu bullas collares quadantenus referentibus, mucilagine quadam invicem connexis (Dill.), this very elegant kind of Conferva, growing on an alga, the smaller Fuci or small stones, is scattered here and there, variously divided into numerous branchlets, with globules or nodes [i.e. knots], in which place [= quo] [they] draw more near to the extremities, in that direction [= eo] they are gradually smaller, completely rounded, somewhat resembling a necklace or collar bullae [i.e. collar studs (ornaments)], mutually [= invicem] connected by a kind of mucilage.

- [Conferva reticulata (the reticulate, or netted, Conferva)] Maculæ, quas Rajus memorat, si aqua extrahatur planta, comparent, sunt nempe laminæ aquosae splendentes, in reticulorum interstitiis formatæ; quoniam nempe aqua libere ex retiformi textura elabi nequit (Dill.), the spots appear, which Ray tells about, if the water is extracted from the plant, [the watery blades] are certainly splendent [i.e. glittering], formed in the interstices of the reticula [i.e. netlike structures]; since then, doubtless, it is unable to get clear [i.e.escape] UNHINDERED in the water from the net-like texture.

- [Conferva marina trichodes] Hæc valde ramosa est A. ramulis in alios minores, hisque in minutissima capillamenta divisis & subdivisis, velleris instar sparsa & late expansa, hacque mechanica in aquarum medio, se ipsam sustentat, libere natans, nec ulli alii rei adhærens (Dill.), this one is branched to a high degree [figure A.], with the branchlets smaller in others, and these divided and subdivided into the tiniest capillament [i.e. mass of hair-like fibers], scattered and broadly expanded resembling wool [or fleece], by this [= abl.sg. fem.] [mechanism] it holds itself up in the middle of the waters, floating FREELY [i.e. without hindrance], not adhering to any other thing.