A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Corpuscle (Eng.noun); a (small) body; “(obsol.) the spore-cases [i.e. sporangium] of certain Fungals” (Lindley); see ‘case;’ “a small mass or body” (Jackson); a propagulatory body; a minute or elementary particle; a living cell, usually “one that is somewhat isolated and not aggregated into continuous tissue” (WIII); any of various small circumscribed bodies composed of many cells” (WIII); (in mosses) a club-hair, q.v.: corpusculum,-i (s.n.II), abl. sg. corpusculo, nom.& acc.pl. corpuscula [> L. dim. corpus,-oris (s.n.III), q.v.]; see particle;

NOTE: corpusculum,-i (s.n.II), abl. sg. corpusculo is usually rendered ‘body,’ especially if it is a cell or groups of cells with a special function.

Genus: Corpuscularia,-ae (s.f.I): “from Latin corpusculum, a little body. Aizoaceae” (Stearn 1996).

- [moss] in axillis foliorum corpuscula gemmiformia rotunda purpurascentia (C. Muell.), in the axils of the leaves, rounded, approaching purple, gemmiform [i.e. bud-shaped] corpuscles [i.e. small bodies] are encountered.

- [moss] in axillis foliorum corpuscula gemmiformia viridia dein fusca ut in Br. erythrocarpo atque Preissiano reperiuntur (C. Muell.), the corpuscles are found in the axils of the leaves [at first] green, then grayish-brown as in Bryum erythrocarpum and also Preissianum.

- [lichen] TABULA 11, fig. 7: sporae tres (auctae, ut solent haec corpuscula in tabulis nostris, 275 diametris) (Nyl.), plate 11, figure 7: spores three (enlarged, as these bodies are accustomed to be in our plates, by 275 diameters).

- [algae] occurrunt insuper corpuscula propagatoria (sporae) bicellularia et multicellularia (Braun), besides, bicellular and multicellulare propagatory bodies (spores) occur.

- pollinia in quoque loculo solitaria, péndula, caudiculis hyalino-dilatatis utrinque dente erecto fusco auctis corpúsculo elongato affixis (B&H), the pollinia in each locule solitary, pendulous, with the caudicle hyaline-dilated, on both parts enlarged with an erect, blackish-brown tooth, attached by an elongate body.

- pollinia in quoque loculo solitaria, transversa v. obliqua, saepe curvula et (ob lobos stigmatis corpuscula ferentes valde prominentes) introrsum spectantia (B&H), the pollinia in each locule solitary, transverse or oblique, often slightly curved and (due to the lobes of the stigma bearing corpuscula, [the lobes] strongly prominent) facing inwards [Gonolobus].

- nectaria 5. circa corpusculum medium, ovata, oblique introrsum aurito-cucullata (Swartz), nectaria 5, around the middle corpuscle, ovate, obliquely inwardly auriculate-cucullate [Asclepias].

- [Asclepiadaceae] pollen granulosum, in quoque loculo saepius in massas 2 cohaerens sed facile solvendum, et appendicibus membranaceis v. apicibus dilatatis corpusculorum applicitum (B&H), pollen granulose, frequently cohering into two masses in each locule but easily separable, and attached to membranous appendages, or to the dilated apices of small bodies.

- stamina 3, sub corpusculo (ovario effoeto? [sic]) 3-lobo inserta, filamentis brevibus; antherae globosae (B&H), stamens 3, inserted under a little, 3-lobed body (the spent ovary?), with short filaments, the anthers globose.

- simile porro corpusculum paginam superiorem foliorum Salicis Capreae frequens passim obsidet: sed an fungosum? an entomogonum? nondum satis liquet (S&A), furthermore a similar little body [i.e. corpuscle] frequently covers here and there the upper surface of the leaves of Salix Caprea: but whether fungal? or [insect-produced?] is not yet quite clear.

- [algae] globi nigri, humore circumfusi dissiliunt et massam gelatinosam e corpusculis minutissimis compositam emittunt (Agardh), the black globes burst asunder, surrounded by a humor [i.e. moisture], and sending out a gelatinous mass composed of the tiniest little bodies. - Riccia sorocarpa (Dill.) BISCH. Perennis tamen videtur et in apicibus frondis alia corpuscula, gonidiis Drepanophylli haud absimilia observavimus (Lindb.), nevertheless, it seems perennial and we had observed other corpuscles [i.e. bodies] in the apices of the frond, not dissimilar to the gonidia of Drepanophyllus.

Corpusculum (s.n.II) propagatorium (adj.A), abl. sg. corpusculo propagatorio: ‘propagatory body,’ a body capable of propagation, used by Braun for certain spore types.

Corpuscula,-orum vermiformia (adj.B): “spiral vessels in a contracted, strangled condition” (Jackson). Corpus vermiformis (adj.B), pl. corpora vermiformia, “(obsol.) spiral vessels in a contracted, strangled, disturbed condition” (Lindley).

NOTE: corpusculum,-i (s.n.II), nom. & acc. pl. corpuscula: a corpuscle, “a small mass or body; 1. sporangia of some Fungi; 2. archegonium, or the central cell of the same in Coniferae; 3. the connections between the arms of the pollen-masses in Asclepiads; 4. = egg, oospheres” (Jackson). As Jackson indicates, ‘corpusculum’ refers to the egg and oosphere, then it also relates to the ovum, which is “1. the ovule; 2. = zygote; 3. = oosphere” (Jackson);

- corpuscula 2, subrotundo-lenticularia, antice hirta, ovario vicina, in carinae basi saccata arcte recepta (B&H), ovules 2, nearly rounded to lens-shaped, antically hirtous, in proximity to the ovary, saccate at the base, closely sheltered in a keel.