A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

obscure (adv.), compar. obscurius (adv.), superl. obscurissime (adv.): indistinctly, obscurely, faintly; (of light) dimly; 'dull' of colors; see dull; (of colors) “darkly, dully” (Stearn) [> L. obscure (adv.) darkly, obscurely; (of speech) darkly, obscurely, indistinctly; covertly, closely, secretly (Lewis & Short); = obscurum (adv.), q.v.; opp. laete (adv.), brightly; opp. pellucide (adv.), q.v. pellucidly, transparently, a clear or pure condition; intense (adv.), q.v. and vivide (adv.), q.v.

NOTE: B&H and DeCandolle often use 'obscure' to mean ‘indistinctly’ or ‘obscurely:’

- obscure serratus, indistinctly or obscurely serrate; obscure dentatus indistinctly dentate; obscure pellucido-punctatis, indistinctly pallucidly-dotted; obscure striatus, obscurely striate; obscure tetragonus, indistinctly tetragonous; obscure undulatus, indistinctly or obscurely undulate.

- [fungi] pileus in nostris e gilvo dilute fuligineus: stipes concolor, nunc distinctius, nunc obsoletius reticulatus (S&A), the pileus in our [sc. species] to pale sooty-brown from yellowish tan: the stipe of the same color, sometimes more distinctly, sometimes more obscurely reticulate.

NOTE: combined with an adjective already suggesting smallness, obscure may mean ‘faintly;’

- nervo medio obscuro proiuiuulo, with the median nerve indistinctly [i.e. faintly] prominulous.

NOTE: used of colors by DeCandolle:

a) ‘indistinct’ if the color term indicates dull, ‘not a clear color;’

- foliis obscure cinerascentibus, with the leaves dull [or indistinctly] ash-white.

- semina obscure flavescentia, the seeds obscurely yellowish.

- folia subtus violacea superne obscure viridia ad venas albida, the leaves below violet, on the upper side indistinctly green whitish on the veins.

- petala obscure caerulea, the petals a dull blue.

- petala 3 inf. intense rosea, 2 sup. obscure punicea venis atro-purpureis notata, petals, the 3 lower [inferiora] intensely rose-colored, the 2 upper [superiora] dull reddish-purple marked with the veins dark-purple.

- folia obscure viridia, the leaves dull green.

- [algae] Algae minutae reptantes caespitosae, moniliformiter constrictae, obscure purpurascentes (Agardh), algae minute, creeping, forming clumps, constricted in a moniliform way [i.e. like a beaded necklace], darkly purplish.

b) dull may be implied if the color term is unambiguous:

- pileus obscure albus, the pileus dull white.

- corolla obscure flava, the corolla dull yellow.

- flores obscure purpurei, the flowers a dull purple.

- differt carina minus obscure colorata et forsan fructu hucusque nondum reperto, it differs by the keel less indistinctly colored and perhaps by the fruit up to now not found.

- nuces subglobosa, e foveolis tori breviter prominentes, obscure dehiscentes (B&H), the nuts almost globose, shortly projecting from the little pits of the torus, indistinctly dehiscent.

- stigma simplex, acutum v. obtusum, rarius truncatüm, rarissime obscure lobatum (B&H), the stigma simple [i.e. unbranched], acute or obtuse, more rarely truncate, very rarely indistinctly lobed.

- siliquae saepe erectae, graciles, planae, valvis enerviis v. obscure 1-3-nerviis (B&H), the siliques often erect, slender, flat, with the valves lacking nerves or indistinctly 1-2-nerved.

- contextu ubi secto colorem obscure brunneum tincto, with a context when cut stained a dull brown color.

- marginibus obscure serrato-dentatis, with the margins indistinctly serrate-dentate.

- filamenta brevia sepalis exterioribus opposite ápice obscure furcata. (F.Mueller), the filaments short, with the outer sepals opposite the apex obscurely forked.

- labellum sessile liberum ecalcaratum pâme obcordatum obscure trilobum sepalis paulo brevius (Mueller), the labellum sessile, free, lacking a spur, almost obcordate, indistinctly trilobed somewhat shorter than the sepals.

- [lichen] thallus coloris nigri, fusci, obscure olivacei, raro cinerascentis (glaucescentis) (Nyl.), the thallus of a black [i.e. grayish-black] color, blackish-brown, dull olive, rarely ash-gray (bluish-gray).

- [Herminium] columna brevissima, stigmatibus utrinque in processus breves productis, apice 2-appendiculata v. nuda, rostello brevi v. medio prominente non (v. obscure sacculato (B&H), the column very short, with the stigmas on both sides prolonged into short processes, at the apex 2-appendiculate or naked, with the rostellum short of prominent in the middle nor or obscurely [i.e. indistinctly] sacculate.