A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Rete, gen.sg. retis (s.n.III), acc. sg. rete, dat. sg. reti, abl. sg. rete, also reti, nom. & acc. pl. retia, gen. pl. retium, dat. & abl. pl. retibus (sec. Lewis & Short): net, network; (in mosses) areolation, leaf cell pattern [> L. rete,-is (s.n.III); also retium,-ii (s.n.II) and retia,-ae (s.f.I) = Gk. diktyon, a net, e.g. as used in catching birds or fish]; (in mosses) areolation, q.v., the pattern of cell outlines in a leaf, the cellular network of a leaf or thallus; see net; = reticulum,-i (s.n.II), q.v., a small net or network (e.g. composed of small areolae).

      singular        plural     
Nom.    rete          retia    
Gen.    retis         retium 
Dat.    reti          retibus
Acc.    rete          retia
Abl.  rete, or reti   retibus

- rete piscatorium, abl.sg. rete piscatorio, a fisherman’s net.

- rete venularum, network of veinlets.

- Hydrodictyon utriculatum, filis (i.e. cellulis elongatis) in saccum reticulatum, rete piscatorium aemulantem coadunatis insigne, artifìciosissimum stupendumque naturae opus, ut Rothius ait, veteres quoque botánicos nonfugit, quamvis Casp. Bauhinus et Ul. Aldrovandus false id nosse putabantur (Braun):

Hydrodictyon utriculatum, with the filaments (i.e. elongate cells) joined into a remarkable reticulate sac, resembling a fisherman’s net, a most ingenious and astounding work of nature, as Roth said, also it had not escaped older botanists, although Caspar. Bauhin and Ul. Aldrovandus falsely were supposed to have been acquainted with it.

- folia superne rete venularum (sive reticulo) utrinque invisibili, leaves above with the network of veinlets (or the reticulum) on both sides invisible.

- foliis reti majore laxiore (Austin) with leaves with the areolation larger, more flaccid.

- [moss] costa valida unacum apice vel paullo infra eundem evanescente, laxe areolata, retis areolis lineari-oblongis, flexuosis, parce chlorophyllosis, basilaribus multo majoribus subquadratis hyalinis (DozyMoek), with the costa together with the apex stout or disappearing a little below the same [i.e. apex], laxly areolate, with the areolae [i.e. little areas] of the [cellular] network linear-oblong, flexuose, sparingly chlorophyllose, the basal ones much larger, nearly quadrate, hyaline.

Hymenostylium laxirete Broth., in reference to the lax areolation or pattern of the cells of the leaf.