A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

passim (adv.): here and there throughout; literally “spread or scattered about;” hence, at or to different places, here and there, hither and thither, in, at or to different places, in every direction, at many places; lacking a plan, at random; far and wide, (nearly or almost) everywhere; without order, promiscuously, indiscriminately” (after Lewis & Short) [> L. passus,-a,-um (part.A) ‘spread out; outspread;’ from pando, pandi, passum, ‘to spread out, extend; to unfold, expand; to spread out, stretch, open out, extend’];

NOTE: passim (adv.) is close to being a synonym of ubique (adv.), q.v., but suggests a scattered distribution, whereas unbique suggests one that has a more uniform distribution.

NOTE: ‘passim’ is also presently used as “a scholarly reference, also translated as ‘in various places’ or ‘in many places.’ Passim informs the reader that the topic under discussion is treated in varous places in a book or article that has been cited. For example,

1. “Chapter 4 ‘passim’” indicates that the topic is discussed here and there in the entire chapter;

2. “Chapter 4 ‘et passim’” indicates that the topic is discussed in Chapter 4 as well as here and there throughout the rest of the work” (Ehrlich 1987).

- Hab. in sylvaticis montosis passim, it grows everywhere [scattered about] in forested, mountainous [sc. locis ‘places’].

- secus vias, agrorum margines etc. locis arenosis apricis passim, nec infrequens (S&A), along roads, the margins of fields, etc. far and wide in open, sandy places, not infrequent.

- [lichen] thallus expansus, passim fenestrato-dissectus, scrobiculatus saepeque granuliferus (Nyl.), the thallus spread out, here and there fenestrate-dissected [i.e. deeply divided with broad openings], scrobiculate [i.e. minutely pitted] and often bearing little grains.

- secus vias, agrorum margines etc. locis arenosis apricis passim, along roads, the margins of fields, etc, here and there in sunny, sandy places.

- cortex (passim in Fago copiose obvia) nonnumquam ex argillaceo griseus est, the cortex (everywhere on Fagus copiously encountered) sometimes it is from clay-colored to gray.

- in lignis pineis dejectis humidis putribus passim (S&A), on fallen pine wood, moist, rotten, everywhere in various places.

- S. salicina. in ramis salignis aliisque arborum frondosarum passim non infrequens (S&A), S. salicina, not infrequent everywhere on willow branches and others of the leafy [i.e. not needle-leaved] trees.

- a montibus Grampians et promontorio Cape Otway per Tasmaniam et passim per Australiae felicis et Novae Austro-Cambriae tractus litorales silváticos (F. Mueller), from the Grampian mountains and the promontory Cape Otway throughout Tasmania and everywhere throughout the coastal forests of the region of Australia and New South Wales.

- provenit locis sicciusculis gramineis vel herbosis passim (v. g. Polshruch in arvo derelicto (S&A), turning up in somewhat dry, grassy or heraceous [places] (v.g. [= verbi gratia, ‘for example’] Polsbruch in an abandoned field).

- incolit folia Polygoni Convolvuli arvensis hortensisque passim haud infrequens (S&A), it inhabits the leaves of Polygonum Convolvulus of cultivated fields and horticultural in many places not infrequent.

- in clivis rupestribus passim irriguis et circum fontes prope originem fluviorum Limmen-bight et Roper River (C. Mueller), on rocky slopes in many places watered and around springs near the headwaters of the rivers Limmen-bight and Roper River.

- [fungi] sphaerulae parvae, fragiliuscula, vetustiorum paucae dimidiatae: ostiolum vix ullum, ni passim rudimentum eius aliquod videre tibi videaris (S&A), the sphaerules are small, somewhat more fragile, a few of the older ones halved: there is scarcely any ostiole, except that at random you may think to yourself to see some vestige of it.