A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Oculus,-i (s.m.II), abl.sg. oculo: the eye; “an eye; i.e. a leaf-bud” (Lindley); 1. a gardener’s name for an undeveloped bud; 2. the persistent calyx of a pome, cf. crown; 3. a conspicuous spot in a flower or seed, as a blotch of color; 4. = hilum” (Jackson); “1. the first appearance of a bud, esp. on a tuber; 2. the depression on the summit of some fruits, as the apple” (Jackson); “an oculus, an architectural member resembling or suggesting an eye, as the central boss of a volute; a round opening in a dome” (WIII);

NOTE: (of microscopes) the ocular lens, the eyepiece.

- oculo armato, with the aid of a lens; also oculo munito.

- [fungus] structura fungillae interna ulterior indagatione omnino digna: at ostiolorum particularium exilitas scalpelli aeque ac oculorum respuit tentamina (S&A); the internal structure of the fungillus is entirely worth further study: but the assay of the particular ostioles rejects both the thinness of the scalpel just as of the eyes.

- lanugine constat tenerrima, ut fibræ nonnisi armato oculo dignosci queant, ab initio rectae, postea invicem implexæ (Dill.), it is composed of a very fine down, such that the fibers can only to be distinguished with the aided eye [i.e. assisted with a lens], straight in the beginning, later mutually intertwined.

- oculo nudo, with the naked eye.

- papillis fructiferis minutis, oculo nudo vix conspicuis (Braun), with the fructiferous papillae minute, scarcely conspicuous to the naked eye.

- specimina ante oculos, specimens seen, i.e. before or under the eyes (Stearn).

- oculo nudo perceptibiles ut maculae aquales, perceptible with the naked eye as watery spots.

- voluptates oculorum et tactionum et odorationum et saporum, pleasures of the eyes and the touchings and smellings and tastings.

- [fungi] colore vivace praepulchro, quo oculos e longinquo allicit, sylvarum (quas praeamat) abiegnarum muscosarum umbras mire exhilarat (S&A), with a color gaily, intensely beautiful, by which it attracts the eyes from a distance, it enlivens wonderfully the shadows (which it loves above all) of mossy, fir forests.