A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Column (Eng. noun): > L. columna,-ae (s.f.I), “a projecting object, a column, pillar, post; a pillar, support; of objects resembling a pillar; also a waterspout; [[in recent Latin] the column of a book]” (Lewis & Short); in Gk. comp. -stele (q.v.); = the gynostemium of Orchids; see gynostemium; see note below; cf. columella,-ae (s.f.I); see orchis,-idis (s.f.III);

NOTE: not to be confused with collum,-i (s.n.II) [i.e. two ells, ‘ll’], q.v., a neck, collar.

NOTE: the column foot (pes columnae) in Orchidaceae: see pes, gen.sg. pedis (s.m.III).

NOTE: columna is the etymological basis for the Papal (Black) noble Italian family of Colonna: the Italian botanist Fabius Columna = Fabio Colonna; see below.

1. a prop, stake for (grape) vines;

- columna vitium (Mich.), the prop of vines.

- [Agaricum; fungus] Autumni tempore Acerum campestrium semimortuarum caudicibus, necnon Vitium columnis, & guandoque in sylvis ad glandiferas arbores (Mich.), in the season of Autumn on the trunks of half-dead Acer campestre, and also on the stakes [i.e. props] of vines and sometimes in forests on nut-bearing trees.

2. “the combination of stamens and styles into a solid central body; as in Orchids” (Lindley); “1. in some grass genera, such as Dimeria, the column refers to that of the awn of the lemma; monadelphous stamens or their filaments are often fused into a column; “1. the combination of stamens and styles into a solid central body, as in Orchids; 2. the lower, twisted portion of the awn of grasses, not always present (Trimen)” (Jackson): columna,-ae (s.f.I), abl. sg. columna, nom.pl. columnae, acc.pl. columnas, dat. & abl.pl. columnis [> L. columna,-ae (s.f.I), “a projecting object, a column, pillar, post; a pillar, support; of objects resembling a pillar” (Lewis & Short); in Gk. comp. -stele (q.v.); = the gynostemium of Orchids; see gynostemium; see note below; cf. columella,-ae (s.f.I); see orchis,-idis (s.f.III);

Nasonia, Lindley. From naso, a nose, in allusion to the column. Orchidaceae (Paxton); see nasus,-i (s.m.II), the nose.

- columna-Trajana, Trajan's Column, an epithet applied to a Pachycereus (Stearn 1983).

- stamina 3, in columnam connata, stamens 3, into a column connate.

- columna aristae 3--4.5 mm longa, column of the awn 3-4.5 mm long.

- in parte basali columnae appendice pediformi instructa, in the basal part of the column provided with a foot-like appendage.

- filamentis alte in columnam connatis, with the filaments into a column high connate.

- callus columnaque leniter pubescentes, callus and column lightly pubescent.

- stylis distinctis v. rarissime in columnam coalitis at facile solubilibus (B&H), with the styles distinct or more rarely fused into a colum and easily coming apart.

- stamina ad 6, omnia antherifera, filamentis longe cum gynophoro basi in columnam monadelpham connatis, deinde fìliformibus, subaequalibus (B&H), stamens to 6, all bearing anthers, with the filaments long-connate with the gynophore at the base into a monadelphous column.

- columna staminea nunc brevissime cupulata, nunc elongata, apice staminodia 5 ligulaeformia ferens (B&H), the stamineous column sometimes very shortly cupulate, sometimes elongate, bearing at the apex 5 strap-shaped staminodes.

- [Menispermaceae] columna staminea apice peltata (B&H), the stamineal column peltate at the apex.

- [Menispermaceae] Antherae circa apicem columnae peltatae sessiles (B&H), anthers around the apex of the column peltate, sessile

- [Menispermaceae] antherae sessiles ad apicem peltatum rarius breviter lobatum columnae (B&H), anthers sessile at the peltate, more rarely shortly lobed apex of the column.

- [Menispermaceae] filamenta in columnam apice peltatam, capitatam v. breviter lobatam coalita, antheris sessilibus. (B&H), the filaments fused into a column, at the apex peltate, capitate or shortly lobed, with the anthers sessile.

NOTE: according to Jackson, and also Lindley, columna refers to "the combination of stamens and styles into a solid central body, as in Orchids [i.e. the gynostemium, q.v.]; the gynandrium and gynostemium (in Orchidaceae) of Kiger and Porter (2001). These latter authors also refer the connate stamens free from the gynoecium of Malvaceae to the column, presumably, the columna.

- [Houlletia] labellum cum basi columnae continuum, patens, angustum, carnosum, lobi laterales unguem crassum seu hypochilium marginantes (B&H), the labellum continuous with the base of the column, spreading, narrow, fleshy, the lateral lobes bordering the thick claw or hypochile.

- [Orchideae] stylus columna inclusus, filamentorum tubo adnato velatus, antico tamen inter alas v. costas columnae verisimiliter nudus, ad apicem columnae plus minus in rostellum productus horizontale v. erectum, antheram a stigmate separans, et supra v. dorso saepius viscosum v. glandulam v. stipitem viscosum pollen excipientem exserens (B&H), the style enclosed by the column, hidden in the adnate tube of filaments, however antically probably naked between the wings or ribs of the column, at the apex of the column more or less prolonged into a horizontal or erect rostellum, separating the anther from the stigma, and above or on the back, more often viscous, protruding beyond either the glandule [i.e. retinaculum] or a viscous stipe [i.e. stalk] intercepting the pollen.

- [Orchideae] stigma in facie columnae inter alas v. costas saepius paullo infra rostellum situm, rarius ad basin columnae v. ad apicem rostelli subterminale leviterque antrorsum inclinatum, variât nunc latum profunde concavum v. crasse pulvinatum, nunc angustum transversum v. longitudinale, interdum didymum v. 2-partitum v. brachiis 2 appendiculatum (B&H), the stigma on the face of the column between the wings or ribs more often situated a little below the rostellum, more rarely at the base of the column or subterminal at the apex of the rostellum and slightly antrorse, inclined, it varies, sometimes wide, deeply concave or thickly pulvinate, sometimes narrow, transverse or longitudinal, sometimes double [i.e. divided into two lobes] or 2-parted or appendiculate with two arms.

NOTE: Columna, Fabius = Fabio Colonna, i.e. of the House of Columna = the House of Colonna; Colonna is derived from the Latin noun ‘Columna.’ He was a pupil of Ferrante Imperato. He wrote:

Phytobasanos Sive Plantarum Aliquot Historia. Naples, 1592: Phytobasanos [‘The Interrogation of Plants’], or a [Natural] History [i.e. inquiry or research into] a Number of Plants. Naples, 1592, by Fabius Columnus.