A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Archegonium, the archegone; “the early condition of the spore-case, to which it stands in the same relation as the ovary to a ripe fruit” (Lindley); “the organ in the higher Cryptogams corresponding to a pistil in the Flowering Plants” (Fernald 1950); (mosses) the female reproductive organ, a flask-shaped structure producing an egg (oosphere) which develops in the venter; (bryophytes) “female gametangium or sex organ; a multicellular, flask-shaped structure consisting of a stalk, venter, neck and containing an ovum; syn. gynogonium” (Magill 1990); “the flask-shaped female sex organ in mosses and ferns and some gymnosperms” (WIII): archegonium,-ii (s.n.II), abl. sg. archegonio, nom. & acc. pl. archegonia, gen.pl. archegoniorum, dat. & abl. pl. archegoniis [> Gk. archegonos, original, primal, > archE- + gonos]; see archesporium,-ii (s.n.II); see antheridium,-ii (s.n.II), the male reproductive organ (gametangium);

NOTE: (in mosses) inflorescentia ex antheridiis archegoniis et paraphysibus formata (C. Muell.), the inflorescence is formed with the antheridia, archegonia and paraphyses.

NOTE: see the word uterulus,-i (s.m.II), abl. sg. uterculo: a small belly, paunch or womb; a small fertile cavity, used by Hedwig.

Ovary: “= archegonium (H. Gibson)” (Jackson).

- (moss) inflorescentia ex antheridiis archegoniis et paraphysibus formata. Pcdunculus basi vagina cinctus (Mueller),the inflorescence formed from antheridia, archegonia and paraphyses.

- (moss) archegonia crassiuscula eparaphysata; antheridia parva eparaphysata. (Mueller), the archegonia somewhat thick, lacking paraphyses; the antheridia small, lacking paraphyses.

- (moss) archegonia brevia crassiuscula intense fusca paraphysibus paucis filiformibus aureis (Mueller), the archegonia short, somewhat thickish, deeply blackish-brown, with the paraphyses small, filiform, golden yellow.

- (moss) archegonia in lamina ventricosa jugi ultimi foliorum inclusa, the archegonia included within the swollen lamina of the final pair of leaves.

- (moss) archegonia pauca, gracilia, paraphysibus filiformibus breviora (DozyMoek), the archegonia few, slender, shorter than the filiform paraphyses.

- (moss) 12. archegonium cum paraphysi octagies auctum (DozyMoek), [fig.] 12. archegonium with a paraphysis magnified 80 times.

NOTE: the archegonia are contained in the perichaetium,-ii (q.v.); the expanded basal part of the archegonium is the venter,-tris (s.m.III), q.v.; the antheridia are contained in the perigonium, q.v.; see antheridium,-ii (s.n.II), the male reproductive organ. The gynoecium, q.v. is also the perichaetium, as the androecium is the perigonium: both are referred to individually as a gametoecium, q.v.

NOTE: in earlier literature: pistillidium,-ii (s.n.II), nom. & acc. pl. pistillidia: archegonia, organs analogous to pistils (Jackson); “pistillidia. Young spore-cases; organs in the Muscal alliance, which have the appearance of pistils” (Lindley); also pistillum,-i (s.n.II); see pistil;

- [Saccogyna] marsupia facie interna cellulis concentricis inducta pistilla in fundo gerentia (Steph.), marsupia on the inner face covered over with concentric cells, bearing pistils [i.e. archegonia] at the bottom.

- [Marsupidium] marsupia breviter pedunculata, in caudice basali lateralia, pendula, saepe dense consecutiva, radicellifera, apice calyptram humilem pistillis sterilibus cinctam gerentia (Steph.), the marsupia shortly pedunculate, lateral on a basal caudex, pendulous, often densely consecutive [i.e. one following after the other], bearing radicels [i.e. rhizoids], at the apex bearing a low calyptra surrounded with sterile pistils [i.e. pistillidia, female organs, archegonia].

- [Calypogeia] marsupia (in paucis tantum cognit) cylindrica plus minus longa radicellifera, intus magnis cellulis elongatis apice liberis vestita. Calyptra in fundo sacculi libera, pistillis sterilibus obsita. (Steph.), the marsupia (known only in a few) cylindric, more or less long, radicellifera [i.e. rhizoid-bearing], inside clothed with large, elongate cells, free at the apex. The calyptra at the base of the sacculus free, covered with sterile pistils [i.e. pistillidia, female organs].

endoscopicus,-a,-um (adj.A): (in botany) endoscopic, “having the apex of the embryo pointing toward the base of the archegonium” (WIII)

exoscopicus,-a,-um (adj.A): (in botany); exoscopic, “having the apex of the embryo pointed toward the neck of the archegonium” (WIII).

Perichaetium, q.v., (in mosses) the female inflorescence which includes the leaves or bracts surrounding the archegonia: perichaetium,-ii (s.n.II).