A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Pellicle, “an evident [delicate] superficial membrane or epidermis” (Jackson; Fernald 1950); a delicate outside membrane; (of yeasts and bacteria), a growth on the surface of a liquid culture (Ainsworth & Bisby, ed 5): pellicula,-ae (s.f.I), abl. sing. pellicula [dim. > L. pellis,-is, s.f. III > Gk. pellis,-is, s.f.III > pella, pelas, skin]; see membrane; see epidermis, the epiderm, the true cellular skin or covering of a plant below the cuticle (Jackson); see skin; see aril;

- semina plana, reniformia, dorso ala circumdata, ventre exalato affixa; albumen tenue v. ad pelliculam reductum (B&H), seeds flat, kidney-shaped, on the back surrounded by a wing, on the front without a wing attached; albumen thin or reduced to a pellicle [i.e. (thin) membrane].

- semina ovalia, compressa, testa crassa pellicula exteriore membranacea intermedia cellulosa et mucosa intima coriacea (B&H), seeds oval, compressed, with a thick seedcoat, with the outer pellicle membranaceous, the intermediate [one] cellulose and mucilaginous, the innermost [one] leathery.

- fructus orbiculato-depressus, pellicula tectus (DeCandolle), fruit orbiculate-depressed, covered with a pellicle.

- semen pellicula tenui (arillo) obductum, testa subcoriacea (B&H), seed covered over with a thin pellicle (the aril), with the seedcoat somewhat leathery.

- spermoderma crassiusculum, extus ut videtur pellicula; cinctum nunc adpressissima,nunc in alam membranaceam expansa, nunc per aquae imbibitionem reticulatim mucilaginosa gelatinosave facta (DeCandolle), spermoderm rather thick, externally apparently a pellicle; sometimes completely appressed, sometime expanded into a membranous wing, sometimes through the absorption of water made like a network, mucilaginous or gelatinous.

- semina pauca, crassa, saepe pellicula e pulpa arescente facta involuta (DeCandolle), seeds few, thick, often enveloped with a pellicle made from the drying pulp.

- semina solitaria, trígona, pellicula nitente argéntea tecta, sapore fructus avellanae (Swartz), seeds solitary, three-angled, covered with a shining silvery pellicle, with the tase of the fruit of the hazel-nut.

- semina plurima pellicula pulposa arillata (DeCandolle), seeds very many, arillate with a pulpy pellicle [i.e. skin].

- pileus pellicula viscida obsitus, pileus with a viscid pellicle covered.

- caro sub pellicula flava, flesh under the pellicle yellow (Stearn).

- spermoderma crassiusculum, extus ut videtur pellicula cinctum nunc adpressissima,nunc in alam membranaceam expansa, nunc per aquae imbibitionem reticulatim mucilaginosai gelatinosave facta (DeCandolle), the spore-skin somewhat thick, outside, it appears bound by a pellicle [i.e. a delicate outside membrane] , [which is ]sometimes completely appressed, sometimes into a membranaceous wing expanded, sometimes through the absorption of water reticulately made mucilaginous or gelatinous.

NOTE: most of the examples given from Bentham & Hooker have to do with the seed of vascular plants.