A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

dehiscens,-entis (part.B): opening regularly, in a regular or orderly way; “opening spontaneously when ripe, as seed capsules, etc.” (Jackson); dehiscent, dehiscing, splitting open into definite parts, as in capsules opening by valves, by an operculum; “opening regularly by valves, slits, etc., as a capsule or anther” (Fernald 1950); (in fungi) “(of asci or fruit bodies), opening when mature, by pores or by becoming broken into parts” (Ainsworth & Bisby); (in mosses) “the capsule opening regularly by means of an annulus and operculum or valves (opp. indehiscent)” (Magill 1990): dehiscens,-entis (part.B) [> L. dehisco,-hivi,-ere, 2. to part or divide; to split open, gape, to burst open]; opp. indehiscens,-entis (part.B), q.v.,‘opening irregularly;’ cf. ruptilis,-e (adj.B), dehiscing irregularly, loculicidus,-a,-um (adj.A) q.v., 'dehiscing along the locules,' septicidalis,-e (adj.B) q.v., 'dehiscing along the walls;' see rupturing, splitting;

- capsula primum carnosa, rimis 2 longitudinalibus dehiscens, capsule at first fleshy, dehiscing by 2 longitudinal fissures.

- Uredo Dentariae, majuscula subbullata , epidermide longitudinaliter dehiscente, Uredo Dentariae, somewhat larger, somewhat puckered, with the epidermis longitudinally dehiscing.

- cupula uncialis, integra,nec hinc dehiscens, the cupule one inch long, entire, not dehiscing from this place.

- Ceterum sparsa vel passim subcoacervata, rarius orbicularis oreque rotundo hians, plerumque oblonga flexuose curvata rimose dehiscens, otherwise sparse or everywhere somewhat heaped together, more rarely orbicular and gaping with a rounded mouth, usually oblong, flexuose-curved, dehiscing through cracks.

- loculis distinctis parallelis, a latere longitudinaliter dehiscentibus (B&H), with the locules separate, parallel, dehiscing longitudinally from the side.

- antherae angustae erectae, lateraliter dehiscentes.(B&H), anthers narrow, erect, laterally dehiscing.

- fructus ab apice in lobos plures breves v. demum alte fissos stellatimque patentes dehiscens.(B&H), fruit dehiscing from the apex into many short lobes or finally deeply divided and spreading like stars.

- Antherae 3, subsessiles, segmentis alternae, extrorsum dehiscentes (B&H), anthers 3, subsessile, alternate to the segments, externally opening.

- fructus nunc vertice irregulariter v. rarius valvatim dehiscens. (B&H), the fruit sometimes from the tip irregularly or more rarely into valves splitting open.

- loculi ad latera connectivi prominentes, transversim dehiscentes. (B&H), locules prominent on the sides of the connective, transversely dehiscent.

- carpella nunc capsularia rima supera dehiscentia, nunc capsularia bivalvia rima infera dehiscentia, nunc follicularia, nunc subcarnosa indehiscentia (DeCandolle), the carpels sometimes resembling a capsule, dehiscent above the fissure, sometimes like a bivalved capsule, dehiscent below the fissure, sometimes like a follicle, sometimes nearly fleshy and indehiscent [i.e. opening irregularly].

favoso-dehiscens,-entis (part.B): “appearing honeycombed after dehiscence, as the anther of Viscum” (Lindley).

NOTE: in mosses a capsule with a dehiscent operculum is stegocarpous, q.v.; an indehiscent capsule is cleistocarpous, q.v. or astomous, q.v.