A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

fluitans,-antis (part.B): fluitant; floating, swimming; “floating upon the surface of the water” (Lindley) [> L. fluito,-avi,-atum 1. “to float, swim, or sail about on the water, to flow; to move in a waving, unsteady manner; to wave, undulate; to be doubtful or uncertain, to waver’ (Lewis & Short)]; see floating;

NOTE: not to be confused with fluens,-entis (part.B), q.v., to (over) flow, etc.

- aquis fluitans, floating on the waters.

- herbae, nunc acaules paludosae et scapigerae rhizomate tuberoso v. repente, nunc aquaticae rhizomate repente nodoso caulibus dichotome ramosis submersis v. fluitantibus (B&H), herbs, sometimes stemmless, of wet places and scape-bearing with a tuberous or creeping, sometimes aquatic with a creeping, nodose rhizome with stems dichotomously branched, submersed or floating.

- aquis purioribus quietis stagnorum et lacuum, rarius fluviorum Hypnum fluitans innatat, Hypnum fluitans floats in the clearer, quiet waters of swamps and lakes, more rarely of running water (rivers).

- {Jungermannia inflata] varietas ejus fluitans et semper sterilis est J. fluitans Nees (Lindberg), a variety of this, floating and always sterile, is Jungermannia fluitans Nees.

- in fossis & lacubus Ínsulæ Selsey in Sussexia libere fluitantem æstate observavi (Dill.), I have observed it freely floating in summer in the ditches and lakes of the Island of Selsey in Sussex [abl.sg.].

- [Cyperaceae] herbae perennes rarius annuae, habitu Gramineis accedentes, saepius tamen rigidiores, interdum juncoideae, restioideas v. fluitantes, saepius caespitosae (B&H), perennial herbs, rarely annual, in habit approaching to the Gramineae yet often ore rigid, somtimes juncoid, restioid or floating, often cespitose.

Conferva fluviatilis sericea, vulgaris & fluitans (Dill.), “River-weed, Common floating Silk Conferva,” silky, common and floating.

fluitari: present active infinitive: to float, swim;

- Confervæ Plinii titulo figuram ejus exhibuit Lobelius: ““Eamque … lene fluentibus aquis fluitare observat" (Dill.) Lobelius presented his figure [i.e. illustration] of Conferva with an inscription of Pliny’s: “he observed it [i.e. the conferva] to float [i.e. floating] on water, gently gliding.”

Equisetum palustre forma fluitans.