A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Acies,-ei (s.f.V), abl. sg. acie, nom. & acc. pl. acies, gen. pl. acierum, dat.& abl. pl. aciebus: “the edge of anything. The angles of certain stems” (Lindley); “the edge or angle of certain stems” (Jackson); sharp edge, angle, also a sharp point, used of swords, daggers, sickles; a keenness [> L. acies,-ei (s.f.V) a sharp edge or point (as of a sword, knife); sheen, brightness; acuteness of the mind, sharpness, force, power; a verbal contest disputation, discussion, debate (Lewis & Short)];

Eng.noun: acies: (obsol.) The full attention of one's sight, hearing or other senses, as directed towards a particular object. Quote. Sharpness of sight, keeness of a glance; acuteness of mind;

1. the keen or sharp line or edge e.g. of a sword, dagger, sickle, etc.; of edged tools, swords etc.; the keeness, sharpness, edge. lit. of a (flat)sharp instrument such as an axe or knife (cultellus; culter,-ri (s.m.II)), the edge of a leaf or lamella(Lewis & Short);

- acies securis, the edge of an axe.

- acie (abl.sg.), at or on the edge.

- lamellae acie denticulatae, gills at the edge denticulate (Stearn).

- lamellae aciebus aureis vel aureo-virescentibus granulatis, lamellae with edges golden or golden-greenish, granulate.

- lamellae aciebus aureis vel aureo-virescentibus granulatis, lamellae with edges golden or golden-greenish, granulate.

- scalpelli acie, with the edge of the scalpel.

- exilitate aciei scalpelli, with the thinness of the edge of the scalpel.

- lamellae aciebus aureis vel aureo-virescentibus granulatis, lamellae with edges golden or golden-greenish, granulate.

- costae vel valvae, quas acie cultelli elevare potes (Dill.), the ribs or valves, which you can lift up with the edge of a small knife.

- foliis Iridis modo sitis, hoc est acie folii cauli obversa (Ray), with the leaves positioned in the manner of Iris, that is, with the edge of the leaf obverse to [i.e. directed towards] the stem.

- differt solum acie marginali ab uno strato in una serie cellularum (Lindberg), it differs only by the marginal edg

e from a single layer in a single row of cells. - [moss: Grimmia [= Dryptodon patens] nervus sat male definitus, dorso, excepto ad basim et apicem, alas 2-4 gerens continuus, inferne tri-, superne bistratosus, alae quoque in acie bistratosae (Lindb.), the costa is quite poorly defined, on the back, except at the base and apex, continuous, bearing 2-4 wings, in the lower part three-, the upper part 2-stratose, each wing bistratose on the edge.

- [liverworts] colesula et in caule et in innovationibus ramisque ejus apicalis, cristis complanatis, elliptico-clavata, inferne teres, partem tertiam supremam quinqueplicata, cristis complanatis, acie integerrimis (Lindb.), the colesule both on the stem and on its innovations and branches apical, with complanate crests, elliptic-clavate, in the lower part terete [i.e. rounded-cylindric], the uppermost third part 5-plicate, with complenate crests, completely entire on the edge. - (liverwort) colesula numquam in ipso caule, sed in ramis et ramulis terminalis, orificio rotundato, in acie utraque lobato (Lindb.), the colesule never on [its] stem but on its branches and branchlets terminal, with a rounded orifice, lobed on each [of the two] edges.

- (liverwort) Colesula semper in ramis lateralibus observata, parum emergens, pyriformi-clavata, inferne teres, quartam partem supremam quinqueplicata, cristis altioribus et magis complanatis, acie crenulatis (Lindb.), colesule observed always on the lateral branches, somewhat emergent, pyriform-clavate, the lower part rounded-cylindrical, the uppermost fourth part 5-plicate, with the crests higher and more complanate, crenulate on the edge [i.e. angles].

2. The angles of certain stems” (Lindley); “the edge or angle of certain stems” (Jackson) [esp. stems in the Cyperaceae];

- [Scirpo-cyperus] caulem fert lateribus cavis, atque angulis tanquam cultri acies acutis (Mich.), it bears a stem with the sides curved inwards [i.e. concave, making the stem three-angled], and also with the angles acute, just as the edge of a knife.

3. of the sense or faculty of sight: sharpness of the eye, keenness of look or glance, sharpness of vision or sight; a looking at an object with fixed attention, look, aim (Lewis & Short);

- prima acie, at the first glance = primo aspectu; see aspectus,-us (s.m.IV).

- acies oculorum: keenness or sharpness of the eyes; also acies alone;

- [Conferva mucosa] filamenta habet brevia, adeo tenuia & tam dense & arcte cohaerentia, ut nulla oculorum acie dignosci queant (Dill.), it has short filaments, so thin and so very densely and closely coherent, that they are unable to be distinguished by any keenness of the eyes.

- quia accurate hasce notas non exquisiverunt, vel tanta fuit aliquarum exiguitas, ut facile oculorum aciem effugerint (Mich.), because they did not diligently seek out these characters accurately, or there was so great a minuteness of some things, that they may have easily evaded the keenness of sight [i.e. of the eyes].

4.(poetic) sheen, brightness (Lewis & Short); a shining condition, resplendence, a gleam (i.e. a shoot of light or brightness);

- acies obtunsa stellarum, the blunted brightness of the stars.

5. acuteness of the mind, sharpness, force, power = acumen (Lewis & Short);

- acies mentis, animi, ingenii [= ingenium,-ii (s.n.II): genius, natural ability]

6. A verbal contest, disputation, discussion, debate (Lewis & Short).

7. (used of military language) an army drawn up in order of battle; the front of an army (thought of as the edge of a sword), battle line, line or edge of battle, battle-array; the van, the first line; the action of the troops drawn up in battle-array, a battle, engagement = pugna;

- hinc Caesalpinus: nisi in ordines redigantur Plantae velut castrorum acies distribuantur in suas classes, omnia fluctuari necesse est {Linn.), thus Caesalpinus [sc. ‘said’]: unless plants could be distributed into orders [i.e. units] just as the battle lines [i.e. order of battle] of military camps might be divided [i.e. deployed] into their own classes [ranks], all things would necessarily be driven hither and thither [i.e. be unstable or uncertain].

- summa Genera recte constituantur, & tanquam in acie bene ordinata Species omnes (Ray), [the highest [i.e. uppermost, most important] genera are properly constituted, and just as [the line of battle on the battlefield] all the species are well ordered.