A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

saepe (adv.): often, many times, frequently, repeatedly; compar. saepius (adv.) more often, rather or quite often, oftener; “more than the times specified or than might be considered normal” (Glare); superl. saepissime (adv.), most or very often, nearly always; = frequenter (adv.); cf. interdum (adv.), sometimes, occasionally, now and then; see commonly, frequently.

NOTE: saepe (adv.): “In many instances, often (it happens that); similarly in compar. and superl” (Glare).

NOTE: saepe (adv.) ‘often’ is often praired with raro (adv.), q.v. ‘rarely, seldom, not commonly, unusually;’ compar. rarius (adv.); superl. rarissime (adv.). This suggests ‘saepe’ implies ‘commonly, usually.’

positive degree: saepe;

- [Penthorum] Petala saepe quinque rarius nulla (Linn.), the petals often five, more rarely [i.e. less commonly] none.

cinoaratuve degreeL - folia in generibus lignosis saepe opposita, in herbaceis saepius alterna (B&H), leaves in woody genera often [i.e. in many instances] opposite, in herbaceous [sc. genera] more often alternate.

comparative degree: saepius: this adverb is very often used by Bentham and Hooker, ‘more often; oftener’ which may mean “more than the times specified or than might be considered normal” (Glare), or more often (it happens that) (Glare);

- [Galium] pedunculi capillares, foliis breviores, saepius uniflori, more rarely bifidi (Linn.), the peduncles hair-like, shorter than the leaves, more frequently with one flower, more rarely bifid.

- calyx saepius 4-lobus, rarius valde inaequaliter 2-labiatus (B&H), calyx more often 4-lobed, more rarely strongly unequally 2-lipped.

- filamenta saepius basi connata, filaments more [or rather] often connate at the base.

- striae radiatae, uniseriata vel, saepius polos versus, biseriata, radiate, uniseriate or, more often toward the poles, biseriate.

- staminum filamenta saepius squamula aucta. Discus saepius carnosus (B&H), the filaments of the stamens more than [usually] enlarged with a squamule [i.e. little scale].

superlative degree: saepissime;

- sori saepissime dorso venarum, interdum parenchymati insidentes, sori most often on the back of the veins, sometimes of the parenchyma situated.

- petala 5, saepissime (sed non semper) aequalia, petals 5, very often but not always equal.

- discum formans saepissime 5-gonum rarius orbicularem, nunc planum nisi medio apiculo v. umbone instructum (B&H), forming a disc most oftenly 5-angled more rarely circular, sometimes flat except provided in the middle with an apiculus or umbo.

- [Trichelostylis] stylus saepissime 3-fidus, basi bulbiformi decidua (B&H), the style more frequently 3-fid, with a deciduous bulbiform base.

- calyx saepius 4-lobus, rarius valde inaequaliter 2-labiatus (B&H), calyx more often 4-lobed, more rarely strongly unequally 2-lipped.

- persaepe (adv.), very many times.