A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Tectum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. tecto: roof, covering, in pl., a dwelling, house; in pollen morphology, the outermost closed layer of the sexine (the pollen grain is tectate); the outermost layer of a pollen grain; adj. tectalis,-e (adj.B), q.v.; cf. steg-, stego-; -stegus,-a,-um (adj.A): in Gk. comp. closely covered (so as to keep out wetness), covered [> L. tectum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. tecto: “a covering; a roof; a (plain, unadorned) ceiling; a roofed building for dwelling in, a roof, house, dwelling, abode; a cover, shelter, quarters, etc.” (Lewis & Short); cf. Gk. stegE, (s.f.I), a roof];

- Porro rimas & foramina casarum pauperiores his obturant, quin tecta ingrediuntur lautiora; nam tegulis supponuntur Hypna promiscue lecta ad arcendum calorem, frigus, pluviam & nivem (Dill.), furthermore the poor [the peasants] stop up the cracks and holes of their cottages with these [mosses, e.g. Sphagnum]], and they even go into nicer buildings; for they place Hypna [i.e. collections of Hypnum] gathered indiscriminately under the [roof-]tiles for protecting against heat, cold, rain and snow.

- ad arbores praecipue Fagos et Aceres, rarius ad tecta, on trees especially Fagus and Acer, more rarely on rooves.

- habitat sub tecto stillaticio, it grows under dipping rooves.

- in tectis stramineis, rarius et semper sterilis (Mitten label), on straw rooves, rather rare and always sterile.

- truncos abietinos aliosque praeamat vulgatior a, folia ac varias quisquilias humi degentes locis praesertim tectis b; utraque aestiva et autumnalis (S&A), it loves very much fir-tree trunks and other [trees], more common a, leaves and various litter living on the ground, especially roofs b; each one of summer and autumn.