A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

petens,-entis (part.B): seeking, looking for, demanding, requiring [> L. peto,-ivi,-itum, 3., to fall upon anything; to fall upon; to demand, seek, require; to beg, ask, request; seek, aim at, desire]; ]; see petus,-a,-um (adj.A);

petit: third-person singular present active indicative: [he/she] it seeks, looks for.

petendus,-a,-um (gerundive adj.A): to be sought, to be looked for;

- to do ceterum flores ex descriptione omnino Menisppermacearum et affinitas cum Tinosporeis (Aspidocarya ?) petenda (B&H), otherwise, the flowers from the description is fully of the Menispermaceae, and the relationship are to be sought with the Tinosporeae (Aspidiocarya?).

- radícula macropoda in Rhizophoreis verticem pericarpii perforans, limum petens et in eo germinans dum adhuc fructus arbori adhaeret (B&H); radicle macropodous in the Rhizophoreae, perforating the apex of the pericarpium, seeking mud and germinating in it, eventually to the point where the fruit adheres to a tree.

- radícula elongata, elevata, apicem fructus in arbore persistentis perforans et limum petens (B&H), radicle elongated [i.e. lengthened], elevated, perforating the apex of the persistent fruit on the tree and seeking the mud [= substrate].