A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

olig-, oligo-: in Gk. comp. ‘few-;’ “in Gk. compounds = a small number. It is generally used in contrast with ‘many’ (poly), when no specific number is employed, as in the definition of things the number of which is small, but variable” (Lindley); the comparative in Gk. is mei-, meio-, q.v., fewer, less, smaller [> Gk. oligos,-E,-on (adj.) (of number or quantity) few, little, scanty, small]; opp. pleio-, pleo-, plio-: q.v., in Gk. comp., more, many; opp. poly-, q.v., in Gk. comp., many-, numerous; many-;

oligospermus, few-seeded, pleiospermus, many-seeded.

NOTE: in Latin comps. it is pauci-, q.v.

- oliganthus, few-flowered; oligandrus, with few stamens; oligoblepharus, with few cilia; oligocarpus, with few fruits; oligodon, oligodontus, with few teeth; oligomerus, with few parts; oligophlebius, with few veins; oligophyllus, sparse-leaved; oligoporus, oligoporicus, with a few pores; oligosorus, with few sori; oligospermus, with few seeds; oligosporus,-a,-um (adj.A), having a small number of spores; few-spored; oligostachys, with few spikes; oligostemonus, with few stamens.

oligotrophus, oligotrophicus, poor in minerals, hence acid in reaction (opp. of eutrophic).

Panicum oligosanthes Schult., Few-flowered Panic-grass.

Oligotrichum,-i (s.n.II), from oligo-, few, and tricho-, hair in reference to the sparse hairs on the calyptra.

Carex oligocarpa Schkuhr ex Willd., Few-fruited Sedge; C. oligosperma Michx., Few-seeded Sedge.