A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

summus,-a,-um (adj. A): uppermost, highest, topmost; the top of, highest part of; greatest, most important, supreme; one of the superlatives of superus,-a,-um (adj.A), q.v., 'situated above, upper, higher;' opp. imus,-a,-um (adj.A), lowest, lowermost;’ cf. apical; see uppermost;

NOTE: not to be confused with sumus: ‘we are.’

supreme (Eng. adj.), the highest;

- Summus Pontifex, Summus: the Supreme Pontiff, the highest pontiff or bishop (of Rome).

- Summus Pontifex Ecclesiae Universalis: Supreme Pontiff of the whole Church = Pope, the Bishop of Rome.

- foliis radicalibus infimisve abortivis ad squamas subvaginantes reductis, mediis et summis sessilibus multifidis (DeCandolle), with the basal or lowermost leaves abortive, reduced to somewhat sheathing scales, the middle and highest sessile, multifid.

- summus mons, the top of the mountain, summi montes, the mountain tops,

- in summo montis vertice, on the highest peak of the mountain.

- in summo Marylandiae jugo “Backbone” dicto ad saxa madida, on the highest ridge of (the State of) Maryland called “Backbone” on wet stones.

- ramus summus, the highest branch.

- e summo mari lecta, collected from the surface of the sea; in summa aqua, on the surface of the water.

- capsula in foliis summis inclusa, capsule enclosed in the uppermost leaves.

- summa hieme (both abl. sg.) at midwinter (the top of winter).

- filamenta e foliorum summorum axillis orta, filaments from the axils of the uppermost leaves arising.

- stamina summo corollae tubo inserta, stamens at the topmost of the corolla tube inserted.

- summa (adj.A) aqua, the surface of the water.

- in summa aqua, on the surface of the water.

- petala 3, sessilia, vix imbricata, summum lanceolatum, lateralia linearía (B&H), petals 3, sessile, scarcely imbricate, the topmost one [i.e. petalum] lanceolate, the laterals linear.

- petala subaequalia, summa basi auriculata, petals subequal, the highest ones auriculate at the base.

- summum bonum: the supreme or highest good, usually in which all other goods are included or from which they are derived (WIII).

- summum jus: the highest law, strict legal right; exact law.

- summum genus, in plural summa genera: a genus that can undergo logical division; a genus that cannot be classed as a species (WIII).