A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

-stomum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. –stomo: in Gk. comp., a noun suffix in (bryophyte) generic names: “with a characteristic mouth or opening.” Stoma (Eng.noun): the opening at the summit of the moss capsule through which spores are shed usually through a hygroscopic surrounding-structure or -structures of tooth-like segments in various arrangements situated on the opening [> G. stoma,-atis (s.n.III), q.v. ‘mouth’]; cf. –stomus,-i (s.m.II). NOTE: the nom. & acc. pl. is –stoma; sg. Astomum, pl. Astoma. The generic names with this suffix are:

Astomum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. Astomo: “the name means without a mouth and refers to the cleistocarpous [indehiscent] nature of the capsules” (C&S); adj. astomus,-a,-um (adj.A).

Conostomum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. Conostomo: a moss with a cone-shaped structure at the capsule mouth; > Gk. konos, a cone + stoma,a mouth ; the teeth of the theca are united. A curious species of moss, found during summer on some of the Scotch mountains. Synonym: Grimmia conostoma (Paxton).

“The name means conic mouth and makes allusion to the perforated cone formed by the fused tips of the peristome teeth” (C&A); adj. conostomus,-a,-um (adj.A).

Gymnostomum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. Gymnostomo: “the name refers to the naked mouth of the capsule, i.e., to the absence of a peristome” (C&A); adj. gymnostomus,-a,-um (adj.A).

Dim.: Gymnostomiella,-ae (s.f.I).

Hymenostomum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. Hymenostomo: with the capsule mouth covered by a hymenium (membrane, usually rather than a peristome [> Gk. hymen, a membrane + stoma, a mouth, on account of having a membrane stretched across the orifice of the theca’ (Paxton); adj. hymenostomus,-a,-um (adj.A).

Ptychostomum,-i(s.n.II), abl.sg. Ptychostomo: a genus of mosses, in allusion to a pleated mouth, stoma or pore; adj. ptychostomus,-a,-um (adj.A).

Stenostomum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. Stenostomo: > Gk. stenos, narrow + stoma, a mouth; in allusion to the flowers. Cinchonaceae” (Paxton).

Trichostomum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. Trichostomo: “the name (meaning hairy mouth) refers to the peristome of filiform teeth” (C&A); adj. trichostomus,-a,-um (adj.A).