A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

-aceus,-a,-um (adj. A.) in L. comp., a suffix): Eng. -aceous; with sense of 'resembling, having the nature of, belonging to,' used to form adj. from nouns; “e.g. coriaceus, leathery (from corium leather); rosaceus, rose-like (from rosa, rose)” (Stearn); “a termination expressing a resemblance to the thing whose name it terminates; foliaceus = leaflike, of the texture of a leaf or ‘folium’” (Lindley) [> L. -aceus,-a,-um (adj.A), ‘made of’ (Glare)];

NOTE: “the form -acius found in later authors appears to be a misspelling; formed from nouns usually meaning ‘made of’ or ‘resembling’ (hederaceus, hordeaceus ,mustaceus, vinaceus; gallinaceus).

- algaceus, like seaweed (> alga,-ae (s.f.I) seaweed); alliaceus, like an onion (> Allium, garlic, onion); argillaceus: argillaceus,-a,-um (adj.A), like clay, clayey, growing on clay; of a clayey consistency or quality; clay-colored (yellowish-brown) [> L. argilla,-ae (s.f.I), clay; capillaceus, resembling hair (> capillus, hair); chlorophyllaceus (> chlorophyllum,-i (s.n.II)); herbaceus, herb- or plant-like (> herba, herb, plant); lactario-russulaceus (q.v.) with the characteristics of the genus Lactarius and Russula; sebaceus (> sebum, fat); squamaceus (> squama, scale).

- cannabaceus,-a,-um (adj.A): resembling, having the nature of hemp (Cannabis,-is (s.f.III).

- convolvulaceus,-a,-um (adj.A): convolvulaceous, “denoting affinity with the genus Convolvulus” (Jackson).

- foliaceus,-a,-um (adj.A): leafy, leaflike in texture, appearance or shape [> folium,-ii (s.n.II), a leaf].

NOTE: -aceus,-a,-um may indicate a resemblance only, as an inflorescence that is spathaceous is only spathe-like; it may also indicate that it is a true spathe. See also -atus,-a,-um (adj. or part.A).

NOTE: when –aceus is applied to an adj. or participle, it may also indicate a resemblance to or appearance only;

- convolutaceus,-a,-um (adj.A), q.v., appearing convoluted or coiled.

- [Anomobryum julaceum] resembling a catkin, from the Latin noun julus, catkin + the Latin adjective suffix -aceus, resembling, catkin-like, that is, smoothly cylindrical, in reference to the slender habit of the stem with crowded, densely imbricate, ovate-oblong, concave and muticous leaves.

- [Distichium capillaceum] resembling hair, from the Latin noun capillus, the hair of the head, or the threads or fibers of plants + the Latin adjective suffix -aceus, resembling, resembling or similar to (human) hair, hair-like, in reference to the setaceo-capillaceous leaves described by Hedwig (under the genus Cynodontium).

- [Hygrohypnella ochracea] resembling the color of ocher; from the Latin noun ochra, meaning ochre, yellow ochre, a natural clay mineral bearing the color yellow-brown touched with cinnamon, and the Latin adjective-suffix -aceus, resembling; originally published by William Wilson as the “yellow Mountain-rill Feather-Moss” for the yellowish leaves, collected by “Mr. Menzies on the west coast of North America, in 1792.” The color of the plant varies from bright to dull yellow- or olive- green, to a dirty brown.