A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Proboscis,-idis (s.f.III), abl.sg. proboscide, nom. & acc. pl. proboscides: proboscis, a more or less elongated terminal projection or horn; (in bryophytes) “specialized leaf or leaf extension consisting mainly of costa, that may bear gemmae; in Calymperaceae and Streptopogon” (Magill 1990) [> L. proboscis,-idis (s.f.IIII), “a trunk, proboscis, a snout; the trunk or proboscis of an elephant” (Lewis & Short) > Gk. proboskis,-idos (s.f.III): “means of providing food; an elephant’s trunk; a fly’s proboscis; tentacles of the decapod cephalopoda” (Liddell & Scott)]; see proboscideus,-a,-um (adj.A) = ‘horn;’ see appendage; cf. pseudopodium; see beak; see nose;

NOTE: the word may be used in both L. & Gk. comps.

Proboscis (Eng.noun): a mammal’s nose, esp. when long and mobile, such as the trunk of an elephant or the snout of a tapir; an elongated typically tubular sucking mouthpart in insects.

- Elephas est plantae genus, flore monopetalo, anomalo, personato, in duo labia disticto, quorum superius proboscidem refert Elephantinam, inferius vero multifariam dividitur (Tourne.) Elephas is a kind of plant, with a monpetalus flower, irregular, personate, divided into two distinct lips, the upper of which resembles an elephant’s trunk, but the lower is divided in many places.

- Elephantis species sunt: Elephas Italica, flore magno, proboscide surrecta; Elephas Campoclarensiam; Elephas Orientalis flore parvo, proboscide surrecta; Elephas Orientalis, flore magno, proboscide incurva (Tourne.), the species of Elephas are: Elephas Italica, with a large flower, the proboscis nearly upright; Elephas Campoclarensis; Elephas Orientalis with a small flower, the proboscis somewhat upright; Elephas Orientalis, with the flower large, the proboscis incurved.

- Pyrola est plantae genus, flore rosaceo, plurimis scilicet petalis in orbem positis constante: ex cujus calyce surgit pistillum in proboscidem desinens, quod deinde abit in fructum subrotundum, striatum, plerumque umbilicatum, quinquecapsularem, seminibusque foetum ut plurimum exiguis (Tourne.), Pyrola is a kind of plant, with a rosaceous flower, namely consisting of many petals arranged into an orb [i.e. disc]; from the calyx of which the pistil arises ending in a proboscis [i.e. snout], that finally changes into a somewhat rotund, striate, usually umbilicate fruit, quinquecapsular [i.e. with five capsules], and when fertilized most often with few seeds. -

- [Blasia; hepatic] Blasia est plantae genus, flore monopetalo, campaniformi, tubulato, elephantinam proboscidem quadamtenus aemulante, sed sterili, & calyce carente. Fructus vero sunt capsulae secus foliorum margines, in quibus decem, ut plurimum minima rotunda nidulantur semina. Exiguitati planta augmentum dedimus ope microscopii. Вlasiae speciem unicam novimus (Tourn.), Blasia is a type of plant, with the flower monopetalous, bell-shaped, tubulate, somewhat resembling the trunk of an elephant but sterile and lacking a calyx. In fact the fruits are capsules along the margins of the leaves in which are ten, most often nesting tiny, rounded seeds. From the minuteness, we have presented the plant enlarged with the help of a microscope. We know a single species of Blasia.

[Genus] Euproboscis,-idis (s.f.III) (Orchidaceae).