A linguistic challenge

[luzula]

Guess (without searching the web) the scientific subject whence these specialist phrases come: "subgynoecial innovation" and "succubously inserted".

Comments

[frayadjacent]

Huh, entomology? Something to do with bugs, flowers, and pollination? (I really have no idea, ha ha!)

[jesse_the_k]

Exactly this!

[luzula]

The subject is botanical, but with neither flowers nor pollination! The phrases are from my copy of Illustrated Nordic Flora of Liverworts and Hornworts. So, moss morphology, basically. That book is hard to use, because it is so technical compared to my other moss floras. I thought I might as well get some amusement out of it...

Subgynoecial innovation = a branch arising below or in the axil of a female bract.

Of course, then you have to look up "axil" and "bract".

[desireearmfeldt]

"Succubously" should *not* be a real word!

[luzula]

And yet, it is.

The phrases are from my copy of Illustrated Nordic Flora of Liverworts and Hornworts. So, moss morphology, basically. If that book has a choice between a perfectly good ordinary word and a technical one, it goes for the technical one everytime. *sigh*

[malnpudl]

Botany! Just guessing, but that was my instant thought on the first one. Second... not so sure?

[luzula]

Yes, you are right! The phrases are from my copy of Illustrated Nordic Flora of Liverworts and Hornworts. So, moss morphology, basically. That book is hard to use, because it is so technical compared to my other moss floras. I thought I might as well get some amusement out of it...

Subgynoecial innovation = a branch arising below or in the axil of a female bract.

Of course, then you have to look up "axil" and "bract".

[feroxargentea]

Axil and bract are no problem. But succubously inserted? That just sounds...rude! O.O

[luzula]

It does kind of sound like someone penetrating a succubus. : )

Here is the actual definition.

[feroxargentea]

See, the paragraph in that link is why diagrams were invented :P

[malnpudl]

My thoughts exactly!

Then again, botany does love to go on about sex. *g*

[feroxargentea]

To be fair, it's sort of the point *g*

[sabra_n]

Obstetrics?

[luzula]

I can see how you would think so! But no, the phrases are from a moss flora. : )

[sabra_n]

Ha!

[boxofdelights]

botany?

[luzula]

Yes, you are right! Specifically, the phrases are from a (highly technical) moss flora.

[brigantine]

It all sounds vaguely naughty. ;)

Goodness, that Wikipedia entry for succubously really could do with a diagram!

[luzula]

Er, that was obviously why I chose those phrases. There were less naughty-sounding ones, as well. : )

[toft]

Those are amazing words!

[luzula]

I know! I could imagine them being technical terms in a science fiction story about the sexbot design industry, or something. *g*

[noeon.livejournal.com]

I would never have guessed botany. Wow :)

[luzula]

Yeah, well, I did choose the more outlandish phrases. : )