A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

cf.: abbrev. = L. ‘confer,’ often meaning in English ‘see’ or ‘see also,’ but it is usually understood as ‘compare;’ it “invites readers to compare an author’s discussion with that presented in another work” (Ehrlich), especially by way of contrast [> L. second-person singular present active imperative of cōnferō, ‘I bring together’ (> conferre)]. The abbreviation may also be used to indicate uncertainty in providing a species name or other taxonomic placement, e.g. Barbula cf. unguiculata: the species is a Barbula, but the author intends the reader to compare it with B. unguiculata as he/she, for one reason or another, is uncertain of its actual taxonomic placement;

- Sphagnum squarrosum Pers. (in litt. ad P. B.; cf. ej. Prodr. p. 88.) (C. Muell.), Sphagnum squarrosum Pers. (in correspondence to Palissot de Beauvois; compare his Prodromus p. 88) [ej. = eius, ‘his.’]

- Astomo Pappeano quam maxime simile, sed cf. adnotationes in speciem hanc sequentem (C. Mueller), as much as possible similar to Astomum Pappeanum, but cf. [i.e. compare or contrast] the annotations [i.e. explanatory notes] in the species following this.

- [moss] nonnullae familiae c. congeneribuns cladocarpicis inter Acrocarpos enumerantur, quum plurimi earum congeneres plantae acrocarpicae sint. Cf. praefationem (C. Mueller), some families with cladocarpic congeners [i.e. generic members] are listed among the Acrocarpi, when many of their congeners may be acrocarpic plants. [Compare with] the preface [acc. sg.].

- nomen antiquum, a Plinio lichenibus muscisque nonnullis arboreis datum, a Dillenio huicce generi impositum, a Linnaeo et Hedwigio sancitum. Cf. Dill. Musc. p. 240. (C. Mueller), [[sancitum TO DO an ancient name, given by Pliny for some arboreal mosses and lichens, imposed by Dillenius on this very genus, had been sanctified by Linnaeus and Hedwig. Compare Dillenius, Musci page 240.

- WIRTGENIA, Jungh., ex Hassk, in Flora. 1844, 624 sistit ex parte speciei Spondiadis. Cf. quoque sub Odina. (B&H), Wirtgenia ... consists in part of a species of Spondias. [Compare] also under Odina.