A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Mentum,-i (s.n.II), abl.sg. mento, nom. & acc. pl. menta, dat. & abl.pl. mentis: chin, projection, the column-foot in Orchidaceae; “a projection in front of the flowers of some Orchids, caused by the extension of the foot of the column” (Lindley); “an extension of the foot of the column in some Orchids, in the shape of a projection in front of the flower” (Jackson) [> L. mentum,-i (s.n.II), the chin of persons and animals; (in architecture) the projecting part of a cornice, which casts off the rain, the coping (Lewis & Short)]; see Orchis, gen. sg. Orchidis (s.f.III);

- [Orchideae] sepala lateralia basi pedi columnae adnata, mentum formantia (B&H), lateral sepals at the base adnate to the foot of the column, forming a mentum [i.e. a chin or projection].

- [Orchideae] labellum basi pedi longo horizontali columnae adnatum, mentum formans sed ecalcaratum, superne patens non carnosum (B&H), the labellum at the base adnate to the long, horizontal foot of the column, forming a mentum but lacking a spur, spreading upward, not fleshy.

- reliquiis sepalorum petalorumque extus adnatis, fila 16, mentorum basibus faucem cláudentibus v. circumdantibus (B&H), remains of the sepals and petals on the outside adnate, the filaments 16, with the bases of the menta closing up or surrounding the throat.

- [Orchideae] sepalorum mentum breve v. saccatum; the mentum [i.e. projection] of the sepals short or saccate [i.e. bag-shaped].

- [Orchideae] sepalorum mentum longum, calcariforme(B&H),the mentum of the sepals long, spur-like.

- [Orchideae] sepala lateralia cum pede columnae mentum formantia (B&H), lateral sepals forming a mentum [i.e. projection] with the foot of the column.

- [Orchideae] sepala lateralia basi in gibbum v. mentum connata (B&H),lateral sepals at the base connate into a gibbus [i.e. a hunch or hump, usually on the back] or mentum [‘chin’ or projection].

- [Orchideae] sepala conniventia v. subpatentia, lateralia cum pede brevi columae in mentum connata (B&H), sepals connivent or somewhat spreading, the lateral ones connate with the short foot of the column into a mentum.

- [Orchideae] sepala patentia mento vix prominente (B&H), the sepals spreading, with a scarcely prominent [i.e. not conspicuous] mentum.

- [Orchideae] sepalum posticum angustum, lateralia latissima, mentum ample saccatum formantia (B&H), the postical sepal narrow, the lateral ones very broad, forming a capacious saccate mentum.

- [Orchideae] sepala lateralia basi in mentum brevissimum cohaerentia (B&H), lateral sepals at the base coherent into a very short mentum.

- [Orchideae] labellum cum sepalorum mento dum adsit superum (B&H), the labellum with the mentum of the sepals may in the end, be superior [i.e. above].

- [Orchideae] clinandrium postice in filamentum productum (B&H), the clinandrium postically prolonged into a filament.

- [Orchideae] sepala subaequilonga, posticum liberum, lateralia basi obliqua pedi columnae adnata, mentum nunc breviter gibbiforme nunc longe calcariforme formantia, superne libera v. rarius altius connata (B&H), the sepals nearly all the same length, the postical one free, the laterals at the base oblique, adnate to the foot of the column, forming a mentum sometimes shortly gibbiform, sometimes long-calcariform [i.e. spur-like], free above or more rarely connate to a greater height.

- [Orchideae] racemi densi laterales v. subterminales, floribus numerosis parvis v. angustis secus rhachin confertis, mento aepe calcariformi (B&H), racemes dense, lateral or subterminal, with numerous small flowers or narrow, crowded along the rachis, often with a spur-like mentum.

- [Orchideae] labellum basi cum pede columnae continuum et mento sepalorum intus adnatum, dein erectum, lamina explanata lobis lateralibus ovatis, medio majore (B&H), the labellum at the base continuous with the column and adnate inside to the mentum of the sepals, finally erect, the blades flat with the lateral lobes ovate, larger in the middle.

Perula,-ae (s.f.I), q.v.: “Also a projection in the flower of Orchids formed by the enlargement of two lateral sepals” (Lindley).