A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

cartilagineus,-a,-um (adj.A), cartilaginosus,-a,-um (adj.A): cartilaginous, usually 'flexible but firm and tough;' rubbery; “hard and tough, like the skin of an Apple-seed” (Lindley); “firm and tough but flexible, like cartilage or the core of a pear” (Fernald 1950); (bryophytes) “firm and tough, often somewhat hyaline” (Magill 1990);(fungi) a polished cartilage-like aspect; cf. coriaceus,-a,-um (adj.A), coriaceous, leathery, thick and tough like leather; cf. corneus,-a,-um (adj.A), horny, made of horn, hard and close-textured but not brittle;

- [moss] theca operculo brevi, conico, cartilagineo obtecta, theca covered by a short, conic, cartilagineous operculum.

- semina subglobosa, testa cartilaginea (B&H), the seeds subglobose, the seed-coat cartilagineous.

- pyrenis osseis v. cartilagineis intus obscure dehiscentibus v. indehiscentibus (B&H), with the pyrenes bony or cartilagineous, within obscurely [i.e. imperfectly] dehiscent or not dehiscent.

- seminum testa crustácea, saepius mucilaginem aqua scatens; albumen farinaceum v. subcartilagineum (B&H), the seedcoat of the seeds crustaceous, more often in water, abounding in mucilage; the albumen farinaceous or somewhat cartilagineous.

- capsula coriacea, subcarnosa, 3-valvis; endocarpio cartilagineo a pericarpio elastice soluto (B&H), the capsule leathery, somewhat fleshy, 3-valved; with the endocarp cartilagineous elastically separated from the pericarp.

- [Aristidia] Arista ad basîn 3-partita. Setae capillares, (lente) cartilagíneo – serratae (Swartz), the awns 3-parted at the base. The bristles capillare, (slightly) cartilagineously-serrate.

- [Olyra] Gluma bivalvis, brevis, cartilagínea, mutica (Swartz), the glumes with two valves, short, cartilagineous, muticous [i.e. lacking an awn].

- Sapium aucuparium Jacq. diversum videtur, foliis longioribus, acuminatioribus, serratis, apice subcartilagineo – rostratis (Swartz), Sapium aucuparium seems different, with longer leaves more acuminate, serrate, slightly cartilagineous-rostrate at the apex.

(Mosses) C. Mueller describes peristome teeth as cartilagineous, perhaps because they are elastic, flexing with moisture or dryness;

- [Funariaceae; moss] peristomium sin adsit, cartilagineum rubrum striatum, (C. Muell.) but if the peristome might be present, cartilagineous, red, striate.

- [Dischelium; moss] peristonium simplex e dentibus 16 lanceolatis medio sessilibus trabeculatis striatis cartilagineis rufescentibus vel aurantiacis formatum (C. Muell.), the peristome simple [i.e. undivided] formed from 16 lanceolate teeth, sessile in the middle, trabeculate, striate, cartilagineous, reddish or orange.

NOTE: this word is often used of algae with a rubbery texture or substance, such as plants of Fucus.

- frons cartilaginea, filiformis, continua, subramosa, undique ramentis carnosis filiformibus simplicibus ramosisve obsessa, the frond cartilagineous, thread-like, continuous [i.e. uninterrupted], somewhat branched, in every part beset with fleshy, thread-like, simple or branched ramenta.