A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

mitrate (Eng.adj.), mitre-shaped, mitrate, mitriform [incorrectly mitraeform]: “having the form of a mitre; that is to say, conical and not slit on one side; applied to the Calyptra of Urn-mosses, in opposition to dimidiate” (Lindley); conic and undivided (similar to a bishop’s mitre) or equally lobed at base, referring to [bryophyte] calyptrae (opp. cucullate, q.v. or split on one side); e.g. Grimmia, Ptychomitrium: (Magill 1990); mitratus,-a,-um (adj.A), mitriformis,-e (adj.B) [> Gk. mitra (s.f.I), a linen girdle or band; a headband, snood; a Persian cap; > mitratus,-ak-um (adj.A), wearing the mitra, q.v.]; see campanulate; see cucullate; see dimidiate; cf. galeatus,-a,-um (adj.A);

NOTE: the ‘bishop’s cap’ is not the mitra headdress of a modern bishop, but the original head-gear, which was a simple cone, similar to the steeple-hat of a modern witch. The cone came more or less to a point and the various characteristics of the moss calyptra peak, renmants of the archegonial venter below which the calyptra develops in the fertilized archegonium, are exhibited. The base of a mitrate calyptra is either straight, or with characteristic lobes, perhaps corresponding to the lappets depending from themodern bishop’s ceremonial hat. The spiralling of the cone of snails of the genus Mitra perhaps display best the conical turban-like appearance of the true Mitra head-dress.

NOTE:the Miter mushrooms of the genus Helvella, from the mitriform shape of the pileus(esp. H. crispa) are also called Saddle-mushrooms. The archaic bishop’s miter was cone-shaped, but evolved next into a longitudinal cap with elevations at each end, called the “horns.” Such a miter resembled a saddle.

- calcar compressum, obtusum, breve, quasi mitraeforme (DeCandolle), the calcar [i.e. spur] compressed, obtuse, short, as if mitriform.

- stigma mitraeformi-dilatatum (B&H), the stigma mitriform-dilated.

- stigma verticale, submitraeforme, lobis divaricato-deflexis placentis oppositis (B&H), the stigma vertical, nearly mitriform, with lobes divaricately-deflexed, opposite the placentas.

- semina pendula, arillo mitraeformi crasso circa semen membranaceo lacero coronata (B&H), the seeds pendulous, crowned with the aril mitriform, thick, around the seed membranaceous, lacerated.

- calyptra conico-mitraeformis, laevis (DozyMoek), calyptra conic-mitriform, smooth.

- calyptra thecam totam primum tegens, dehinc horizontaliter rumpens, mitraeformis s. [seu] campanulata tenerrime membranacea flavida fugacissima (Mueller), the calyptra at first covering the entire theca, then bursting horizontally, mitriform or campanulate very thinly membranaceous, yellowish, very transitory.

- calyptra mitraeformis parva basi pluries profunde fissa (Mueller), the calyptra mitriform, small, at the base many times deeply divided.

- formae autem calyptrae tres observantur: conica s. [ser] campanulata; mitraeformis basi lobata et dimidiata (Mueller), however, three forms of the calyptra are observed: conic or campanulate; mitriform, lobed at the base, and dimidiate [i.e. split on one side].

- calyptra e basi lobata (submitraeformis) (Mueller), the calyptra lobed from the base (nearly mitriform).

- [Schistomitrium] Nomen graccae compositionis a verbis [schistos] ‘fissus,’ et [mitrion] ob calyptram basi fimbriatam deductum (Mueller), the name of Greek composition derived from the words [schistos] ‘divided,’ and mitrion [i.e. cap] due to the calyptra fimbriate at the base.

- calyptra mitraeformis basi in pluries lacinias latas inferne integras fissa (Mueller), the calyptra mitriform, divided at the base into many broad laciniae, entire below.

Calyptra,-ae (s.f.) campanulato-mitrata: calyptra cylindrical and undivided or equally lobed at the base, e.g. Grimmia raui” (Magill 1990).

Calyptra mitriformis, “one which is entire at the base (W. J. Hooker)” (Jackson).

Peridium,-ii (s.n.II) mitriforme (adj.B), abl. sg. peridio mitriformi: “the receptacle of certain Fungals” (Lindley).

Coniomitrium, a genus of mosses having conic-mitriform calyptrae; Crossomitrium, krossos, fringe or tassle + mitra, cap, alludes to the uniseriate, multicellular hairs consituting a fringe around the basal rim of the calyptra in this genus of mosses; Glyphomitrium, > Gk. glypho, ‘sculptured’ + mitrion, ‘a cap’, ‘from the furrowed calyptra; Macromitrium Brid. (s.n.II): Gk. macros, large + mitra, a cap + dimin. -ium; Physcomitrium > Gk. physcE, ‘a bladder’ + mitrion, ‘a cap’ “a not very appropriate reference to the calyptra;”(Dixon); Ptychomitrium BSG (s.n.II), Gk. ptycho-, ‘a fold or wrinkle’ + mitrion, ‘a cap,’ in reference to the plicate calyptra; Rhacomitrium Brid., rhaco-, 'frayed' + mitrion, cap, in reference to the frayed or fringed calyptra (Dixon); Schizomitrium, refers to the lobed margin of the calyptra.

Mitrophora,-ae (s.f.I), the generic name perhaps derives from the ‘upper limb galeate:’ “Perigynanda propria, 2-plex. Exterior, brevis, 2-sepala, incurva. Interior, 1 -sépala, ringentiformis, staminifera : limbo superiore galeato, inferiore 3-fido. Stamina 2 parietibus perigynandae innata (Necker), Characteristic perigynanda [i.e. involucre] 2-fold. The outer short, with 2 sepals, incurved. The inner 1-sepaled, ringentiform, stamen bearing: with the upper limb galeate, the lower 3-fid. Stamens 2, borne on the walls of the perigynandra.