A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Linea,-ae (s.f.I), abl. sg. linea: a thread of linen, a string, line; a fiber of flax (Linum); dim. lineola,-ae (s.f.I), abl. sg. lineola; cf. linum,-i (s.n.II), abl. sg. lino, the classical name of flax; linen; a cord, rope.

Linea,-ae (s.f.I), abl. sg. linea: line, one twelfth of an inch: English line, 2.1 mm., French line 2.3 mm. Also a feature of extended length and little and regular width [> L. linea,-ae (s.f.I), a linen thread, a string, line; a fishing- or plumb-line; a boundary-line; > linum,-i (s.n.II), flax (Lewis & Short)]; note a stria,-ae (s.f.I) is a fine linear groove; a striola,-ae (s.f.I) is a fine linear ridge; a linea,-ae (s.f.I) has no depth or height;

- flores vix 3 lin. longi atro-purpurascentes exsiccatione nigrescentes (F. Mueller), the flowers scarcely 3 [one twelfth of an inch] long, dark-purplish with drying up, approaching a dull black.

- flores parvi, aperti vix 3 lin. diametro (B&H), flowers small, when open scarcely with a diameter 3 lines [2.1 mm (=a line) x 3 = 6.3 mm].

- strobili carnosi, nunc vix 2 lin. diametro, 1-2-spermi, nunc ovoideo-globosi,6 lin. longi, seminibus sat numerosis semi-emersis (B&H), the strobili fleshy, sometimes scarcely 2 lines [4.2 mm] in diameter, 1-2-seeded, sometimes ovoid-globose, 6 lines [12.6 mm) long, with the seeds quite numerous, somewhat emersed [emergent].

- gynostemium vix ultra lineam altum atro-purpureum, rostris nigricantibus (F. Mueller), the gynostemium scarcely more than a line (2.1 or 2.3 mm) tall, blackish-purple [dark purple], with the rostrum blackening.

- Legumina lineam fere lata. Semina lineam paulo excedentia (F. Mueller), the legume nearly one line [i.e. 2.1 mm] wide. The seeds somewhat exceding one line (i.e. 2.1 mm] (F. Mueller).

- folia 1 1/2-2 1/2 lin. longa. Calycis tubus lineam paulo excedens; limbi lobi circiter semilineares (F. Mueller), the leaves 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 lines long [1/8 - ca. 1/5 inch]. The tube of the calyx somewhat exceding a line [1/12 inch]; the lobes of the limb around one-half linear [1/24 inch].

- folia 1-2 lin. longa. Calycis tubus vix lineam aequans. Sépala I lineam metientia (F. Mueller), the leaves 1-2 lineae long. the tube of the calyx scarcely equalling a line. The sepals measuring a line.

- semina saltem lineas duas longa (F. Mueller), the seeds at least two lines long.

- (moss) dentibus peristomii linea mediana longitudinali in acumine dissoluta notatis, (DozyMoek), with the teeth of the peristome marked with a longitudinal median line, dissolved in the acumen.

- carinae 3 supra unguem recte extendentes, supra labellum autem lineas quidem continuas sed perflexuosas et quasi glandulosas viridulas ad apicem labelli evanidas praebent (F. Mueller), the three keels extending straight above the claw, above the labellum, however, the lines are also continuous but very flexuous and look as if green glandulose, vanishing at the apex of the labellum.

Linea transversalis,-e (adj.B): “the ostiolum of certain Fungals” (Lindley).

NOTE: the ‘line’ or ‘linea,-ae’ (s.f.I) is one twelfth of an inch: English line, 2.1 mm., French line 2.3 mm. The ‘capillus’ is one twelfth of a line, or one twelfth of one twelfth of an inch, or 0.18 mm (Stearn) or 0.17 mm (Jackson).

NOTE: sesquilinearis,-e (adj.B), one and a half times [Linea,-ae (s.f.I), abl. sg. linea: line, one twelfth of an inch: English line, 2.1 mm].

- semina sesquilineam metientia (F. Mueller), the seeds measuring one and one half line (i.e. one twelfth plus one half of one twelfth of an inch; i.e. one eighth of an inch).

- semina circiter sesquilineam longa distincte areolata (F. Mueller), the seeds around 1/8 inch long, distinctly areolate.