A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Foramen,-inis (s.n.III), abl. sg. foramine, acc. sg. foramen, abl. sing. foramine, nom.& acc. pl. foramina, dat. & abl. pl. foraminibus: a foramen (pl. foramina), an opening, hole, gap, aperature; a round hole made by boring, a hollow place in a solid body; “an aperture. The foramen of an ovule is an aperture through the integuments, allowing the passage of the pollen tubes to the nucleus” (Lindley); “an aperture, especially that in the outer integuments of the ovule; cf. micropyle” (Jackson); often used in Sphagnum for pore, especially if large; (Diatoms), 'a round hole made by boring;' synonymously used of a micropyle, q.v [> L. foramen,-inis (s.n.III) “an opening or aperture produced by boring a hole; an opening, hole, cave” (Lewis & Short) > L. foro,-avi,-atum 1. to bore, pierce]; see aperatura,-ae (s.f.I); see micropyle;

NOTE: in the vertebrate skull and also the spine, the foramina are openings (holes) throuch which such structures as arteries, nerves and veins pass.

- porro rimas & foramina casarum pauperiores his obturant (Dill.), furthermore the poor [the peasants] stop up the cracks and holes of their cottages with these [mosses, e.g. Sphagnum].

- foliorum parte superiore foraminibus minutissimis bene annulatis, with the upper part of the leaves with foramina very minute, well ringed.

- foramem cera nigra obturatum, the pore stopped up with black wax.

- Menispermum fenestratum, cotyledonibus foraminibus fenestratis (DeCandolle), with the cotyledones windowed with foramina [openings].

- processibus plurimis lamellosis subulatis intra albuminis rimas foraminave immersis (DeCandolle), with many lamellose processes immersed among cracks or openings.

- drupa baccatà, endocarpium osseum v. coriaceum hinc extus filo nerviformi (placenta filiformi?) percursum apice pervium, funículo per foramen in cavitatem intromisso (B&H), drupe berrylike, the endocarpium bony or leathery from this place, externally, percurrent with a nerviform thread ([perhaps] with a filiform placenta?) perforated in the apex, with a funiculus inserted into a cavity through the foramen.

- albumen rimis transversalibus aut foraminibus contiguis exsculptum (DeCandolle), the albumen incised with with transverse slits or contiguous openings.

- Cladonia lacunosa; lichen] similis unciali, podetiis turgidis elongatis (altitudinis saepe 4-5-pollicaris) ramosis lacunoso-inaequalibus, axillis perviis vel passim foraminibus oblongis pertusis (Nyl.), similar to [Cladonia] uncialis, with the podetia turgid, elongate (often 4-5-inches of altitude) branched, unevenly lacunose [i.e. pitted], with the axils pierced through or everywhere perforated with oblong foramina [i.e. apertures].

- [algae] frons hic illic rumpitur, et expansione circa factam lacunam continuante, margines foraminis involvuntur, nova foramina oriuntur usque dum denique tota frons reticulatim perforata est (Agardh), the frond here and there is bursted, and with the expansion continuing around the gap that is made, the margins of the foramen are folded inward, while a new foramen arises, until finally the whole frond is perforated in a network.

- albumen rimis transversalibus aut foraminibus contiguis exsculptum (DeCandolle), the albumen carved out with transverse cracks or contiguous openings.

- [moss] quin et in Grimmia cribrosa dentes satis regulariter foraminibus multis pertusi sunt(Bridel), and indeed in Grimmia cribrosa the teeth are perforated quite regularly with many openings.

Sphagnum (moss): e.g. the name of the opening at the end of the arched neck of the retort (flask-shaped) cell;

- Cellulae hyalinae nonnunquam aut fibris nullis aut irregularibus, ab utroque latere foliorum poris minutis in cellularum angulis superioribus, anteriore folii superficie superne etiam foraminibus minutis in media parietis parte sitis instructae (Warnst.), some hyaline cells with either fibers none or irregular, from each side of the leaves provided with minute pores in the upper angles of the cells, with the anterior surface of the leaf also with minute foramina situated in the middle part of the [cell] wall.

- [Sphagnum] folia multifibrosa, interiore superfìcie fere poris nullis, dorso foraminibus nullis nisi minutis in cellularum angulis superioribus inferioribusque obsita (Warnst.), the leaves with many fibers, on the inner surface with almost no pores, on the back covered over with no openings except minute ones on the upper and lower angles of the cells.