A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Limb (Eng,noun): limbus,-i (s.m.II), abl. sg. limbo, nom. pl. limbi, acc. pl. limbos, dat. & abl.pl. limbis [> L. limbus, -i (s.m.II), border, hem, selvage, fringe round the edge of a robe];

1. a bordering, edging; 'a border that surrounds anything, a hem, welt, edge, selvage, fringe; “ 1. the border or expanded part of a gamopetalous corolla, as distinct from the tube or throat; 2. the lamina of a leaf or of a petal; 3. the margin of the leaf in Mosses when distinct in color and cell-structure” (Jackson); (fungi) limbus is used to indicate edge, rim and margin (S&D); in Sphagnum, the marginal border is the limbus;

- limbus corollae pelviformis, mutabilis, in aestivatione ruber, sub anthesi violaceus et priusquam corolla decidit caeruleus, 15 mm. latus, limb of corolla saucer-shaped, changeable, in bud red, at anthesis violet and before the corolla falls blue, 15 mm. broad (Stearn 1983).

- foliis limbo latiore, longe ultra medium folii producto, with the leaves with a limb (i.e. border) wider, extended far beyond the middle of the leaf.

- alae limbo tenui ad 12 cellulas tantum lato (Steph.), the wings with a delicate limb [i.e. border] only to 12 cells wide.

- limbus brevissime v. longe ultra ovarium in tubum productus, the limb very shortly or longly (i.e. far) extended beyond the ovary into the tube.

- alae limbo tenui ad 12 cellulas tantum lato (Steph.), the wings with a delicate limb [i.e. border] only to 12 cells wide.

- labelli limbo subrhomboideo (DeCandolle), with the limb of the labellum somewhat rhomboidal.

- folia limbis marginata rubris, the leaves edged with a red border.

- habitu staturaque Desmatodonti obtusifolio similis, foliis margine erectis atque limbo pellucido plus minus distincto superne circumductis statim distinguitur (Austin), with the habit and stature similar to D. obtusifolius, it is at once distinguished by the leaves with erect margin and also circumscribed by the more or less distinct transparent limb [i.e. bordering edge].

- [moss] folia basi limbo multo angustiore breviore teneriore marginata, the leaves at the base bordered with a limb much narrow, shorter, thinner.

2. “the flat expanded part of a petal” (Lindley); [often used in mosses] “leaf blade above a differentiated leaf base; e.g. Polytrichum” (Magill 1990); usually the base is set off from the limb by a shoulder, q.v.;

Perhaps this is only an English translation ...the upper part of a leaf, in contrast to the base; in Polytrichum (moss) the limb refers to the area of a leaf above a differentiated base; “the large primary branch of a tree” (WIII); a projecting appendage (e.g. an arm, wing, fin, leg).

Note in some species, such as that of Pleurochaete, the upper limb of the leaf that is differentiated from the flaring square base ... the distinctive border at the base of the leaf is called by the diminutive: limbidium; see shoulder.

- [Sphagnum] limbus deorsum aut non aut plus minusve dilatatus (Warnst.), the limb on the back either not or more or less dilated.

- [moss] costa valida calli instar limbum folii percurrente et ante apicem evanida (DozyMoek), with the costa robust like a callus, extending throughout the limb [i.e. expanded portion] of the leaf and vanishing before the apex.

“In a monosepalous [i.e. gamosepalous] calyx in which the union exists in a marked degree, the part where the sepals are united is called the ‘tube,’ the free portion the ‘limb,’ and the orifice of the tube the ‘throat’ or ‘faux.’ (Bentley).