A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

homomallous (Eng.adj.), i.e. all turned in the same direction, as the leaves on a stem; “(obsol.) when organs originate all round an organ, but are turned to one side of it; the same as recurved” (Lindley): “recurved, arising from all sides but turned to one direction” (Jackson); “uniformly curving to one side - used of the leaves of mosses; opp. to heteromallous” (WIII): homomallus,-a,-um (adj.A) [> Gk. homomallos, woolly, fr. homo-, one and the same + mallos lock of wool]; syn. secundus,-a,-um (adj.A), q.v., syn. unilateralis,-e (adj.B), q.v.; opp. heteromallous, q.v.

secund (Eng.adj.) indicates a strongly homomallous condition. Leaves that are falcate-secund are curved like a sickle and also lie on only one side of the stem.

NOTE: according to the authors Bridel and Hedwig, however, heteromallous is the same as secund (homomallous); neither authors use the term ‘homomallous;’ see heteromallous.

NOTE: in the following Carl Mueller quotes, ‘falcate’(sickle-shaped) is often identified with “homomallous;” as is ‘secund,’ i.e. turned to one side;

- [Dicranum reduncum; folia homomalla (falcate leaves); moss] folia caulina patentia homomalla (C. Muell.) the stem leaves spreading, homomallous [i.e. secund].

- [Dicranum comosum; moss] folia caulina e basi ovali angusta minute areolate lanceolato-subulata rigida ad comam parum falcata breviora (C. Muell.), stem leaves from oval at the base, narrow, minutely areolate, lanceolate-subulate, rigid, at the coma [i.e. congested apical leaves] somewhat falcate, shorter.

- [Dicranum chionophilum] caulis erectus, apice dense foliosus parum falcatus (C. Muell.) stem erect, at the apex with the dense leaves somewhat falcate.

- {Dicranum flexifolium] folia caulina secunda (C. Muell.], stem leaves secund [i.e. turned to one side, i.e. homomallous].

NOTE: the confusion between epithet and description:

- [Aongstroemia heteromalla [sic]; a moss] folia caulina perfecte homomalla, with stem leaves perfectly homomallous [the leaves are also falcate].

- [Leptotrichum homomallum]; moss] folia caulina homomalla lanceolato-capillaria, stem leaves homomallous, lanceolate-capillary.

NOTE: whe word “homomallus” does not occur in Bridel. Does not occur in Hedwig;

- [of the direction or manner of growth of the moss leaf) folia heteromalla [sic] tandem vel secunda ubi apice omnia ad unum latus convertuntur ut in Dicrano heteromallo, Hedwigia aquatica (Brid.), finally, the leaves are either hetermallous [sic] or secund when all of them at the apex are turned to one side.