A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Petiole; “the stalk of a leaf” (Lindley); “a slender stem that supports the blade of a foliage leaf and that is usually cylindrical but sometimes flattened or even winged - called also leafstalk” (WIII); in ferns, this is a synonym for stipe, q.v. note: petiolus,-i (s.m.II), abl.sg. petiolo, nom. pl. petioli, acc. pl. petiolos, dat. & abl. pl. petiolis [> “NL petiolus, from L., small foot, fruitstalk, spelling in some MSS of ‘peciolus,’ irregular from pediculus, small foot, fruitstalk, dim. of ped-, pes, foot” (WIII);

- floribis subnutantibus laxe paniculatis, stipellis minimis ad basin praecipuorum petioli ramificationum (DeCandolle), with the flowers somewhat nodding, laxly paniculate, with the stipells very small at the base of the main branching of the petiole.

- petiolo saepe more Umbelliferarum basi amplexicauli-dilatato v. rarius appendicibus stipuliformibus aucto (B&H), with the petiole often, in the manner of the Umbelliferae at the base amplexicaul-dilated or more rarely enlarged by stipuliform appendages.

- petiolus gracilis ad 5 cm. longus, quam lamina multo brevior, supra planus subtus carinatus, glaber, viridis, petiole slender to 5 cm. long, than the blade much shorter, above flat beneath keeled, glabrous, green (Stearn).

- folia bifoliolata, petiolo apice cirrhoso (B&H), the leaves bifoliolate [i.e. with two leaflets], with the petiole at the apex tendrilled.

- petioli tetragoni, pubescentes (Swartz), the petioles tetragonous [i.e. 4-angled], pubescent.

- foliis ad petiolos leviter revolutis (Swartz), with the leaves at the petioles lightly revolute.

- petiolus valde sulcatus, in foliis exterioribus et mediis distincte alatus, petiole strongly grooved, in outer and middle leaves distinctly winged (Stearn).

- pedunculi petiolis breviores (Swartz), the peduncles shorter than the petioles.

- caulis ad basin petiolorum contractior (Swartz), the stem at the base of the petioles more contracted.

- petiolo saepe volubili nec in cirrhum mutato (B&H), with the petiole often twining, not changed into a cirrhus [i.e. tendril].

- petiolus basi teres paulum incrassatus, laminam versus supra applanatus, petiole at base terete little thickened, towards the blade flattened out (Stearn).

- caule erecto oo-floro petiolisque reflexo-pilosis (DeCandolle), with the stem erect [numerous-flowered and the petioles reflexed-pilose.

- petioli longissimii, vaginulis basi cauli inserti (Swartz), the petioles very long, inserted, with the vaginulae inserted at the base of the stem.

- stipulae v. 0 v. petiolo adnatae aliformes et cito deciduae (B&H), stipules either none or adnate to the petiole, wing-shaped and quickly deciduous.

- lamina basi sensim in petiolum attenuata, blade at base gradually attenuate into the petiole (Stearn).

- petioli alati, alis (stipulis?) deciduis (B&H), the petioles winged, with the wings ([perhaps] stipules?) deciduous.

- petiolus difficillime a lamina distinguendus, petiole with extreme difficulty from blade to be distinguished (Stearn).

- folia petiolo longo super aquam natantia (B&H), leaves floating above the water on a long petiole.

- petioli foliorum basalium lamina quarta vel tertia parte breviores, petioles of basal leaves shorter than the blade by a quarter or third part (Stearn).

- petioli brevissimi, petioles extremely short (Stearn).

- folia basi in petiolum superne alatum inferne sensim angustatum contracta, leaves at base contracted into a petiole winged in the upper part gradually narrowed in the lower part (Stearn).

- petiolis glabris alatis 10 cm. longis, with petioles glabrous winged 10 cm. long (Stearn).

- petiolis cirrhiformibus, segmentis petiolulatis 3-partitis integrisve (DeCandolle), with the petioles cirrhiform [i.e. tendril-like], with the segments petiolulate, 3-parted or entire.

- petiolorum vaginis in auriculas expansis (DeCandolle), with the sheathes of the petioles expanded into auricles.

[fungi]:

- in petiolis nervisque foliorum Aceris Pseudoplatani semiputrium dejectorum (S&A), on the leaf-stalks and veins of fallen half-rotted leaves of Acer Pseudoplatanus.

- in petiolis nervisque foliorum putrido-siccorum Fraxini locis dumosis umbrosis legimus (S&A), I have collected it on the leaf-stalks and veins of rotten-dried leaves of Fraxinus in shady, shrubby places.

- stipulas aliaque rejectamenta, sed praeprimis foliorum siccorum petiolos nervosque hinc illinc incolit, satis frequens (S&A), quite frequent it dwells here and there on straw and other debris, but especially the leaf-stalks and veins of dried leaves.

- (fungus) Onerat coelo vernali madente Rhamni utriusque (cathartici aeque ac Frangulae) folia, petiolos, pedunculos, flores, baccas : longe lateque saepe effusa (S&A), it oppresses in moist spring weather the leaves, petioles, peduncles, flowers, berries of both Rhamni ([R.] catharticus as much as Frangula): often spread out far and wide.

Foot Stalk: “a stem specialised as peduncle, petiole, etc.” (Jackson).

Pericladium,-ii (s.n.II), abl. sg. pericladio: “the dilated sheathing base of some petioles, especially among Umbellifers” (Lindley).

Petiolus,-i (s.m.II) communis, abl. sg. petiolo communi: “the first and principal leaf-stalk in compound leaves; the secondary petioles are called partial” (Lindley).

Ramastrum,-i (s.n.II), abl. sg. ramastro, nom. & acc. pl. ramastra, dat. & abl. pl. ramastris: “(obsol.) the secondary petioles or petiolules of compound leaves” (Lindley); [-astrum, a suffix = likeness] “a secondary petiole or petiolules of compound leaves” (Jackson).

Stipe, a stalk; “the petiole of the leaves of Ferns” (Lindley): stipes,-itis (s.m.III), abl.sg. stipite.

NOTE: the stipe is the structure of a fern frond connecting the base of the lamina to the point of its attachment to the rhizome; synonym in ferns is ‘petiole;’ stipe is the ‘leafstalk’ of a fern (Jackson); see stipe;

- in Pteridis enim Aquilinae stipitibus mortuis crescit, it certainly grows on the dead stalks of Pteris and Aquilina.

NOTE: “pedicellus, pediculus, pedunculus, pes, petiolus: “the stipe of certain Fungals” (Lindley).