A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

tessellate, tessellated, of small square stones, checkered, tesselated; “when color is arranged in small squares, so as to have some resemblance to a tesselated pavement” (Lindley): tessellatus,-a,-um (adj.A) [> L. tessella,-ae (s.f.I), a small square piece of stone, a little cube for pavements, etc., also tesserula,-ae (a little tessera, a square bit of stone for paving, both dim. of tessera,-ae (s.f.I)’a square, square piece of stone, wood, etc.; a square tablet or block, a checker for the construction of pavements,, etc. (Lewis & Short); perhaps related to Gk. tessares, (h)oi(h)ai, tessara (h)a: ‘four’]; cf. checkered, mosaic;

- pavimenta tessellata: pavement of small square stones.

- caules crassocarnosi, aphylli, in areolas quadratas v. hexagonas divisis quasi tesselati (B&H), the stems thick-fleshy, leafless, divided into small quadrate or hexagonal areas as if tesselated [i.e. checkered].

- (fungus) pileus squamis majusculis laevibus arcte appressis ferrugineo - spadiceis tessellatus (S&A), the pileus checkered with somewhat large, smooth, closely appressed rust-red to red-brown scales.

- [Boletus scaber; fungus] pileus opacior dilutiorve, nunc laevis, nunc rugulosus, aere sicco saepe rimoso - tessellatus (S&A), the pileus darker or paler, sometimes smooth, sometimes with little wrinkles, in dry air, often cracked-tessellate [cracked in a checkered pattern].

Areole, q.v., space marked out on a surface, area enclosed by cracks, ridges, veins or veinlets, vein-islet, small, angular areas enclosed in a network; “the tessellated spaces in the thallus of some Lichens” (Lindley): areola,-ae (s.f.I),

squamoso-tessellatus,-a,-um (adj.A): scaly-checkered, with squared-scales;

- [fungi] pileus nunc laevis , nunc (coelo praesertim sereno) squamoso - tessellatus, the pileus sometimes smooth, sometimes (especially in calm weather) scaly-checkered [i.e. checkered with scales.

Goodyera tessellata, ‘like a mosaic,’ on the leaves “the veins bordered by irregular generally pale green penciling’ (Fernald 1950).