'virguliformis' = 'comma-shaped'?

[MAGarland at AOL.COM]

John Edmondson writes:

> Stearn does not provide an exact equivalent for 'comma', which I would
argue
> is Greek rather than Latin and is only found in scientific Latin as an
> epithet. French readers will recognise the term 'virguliformis', which is
my
> preferred term.

If there is a botanical tradition of using "virguliformis" for
"comma-shaped," then that should be the preferred term.  It makes me think of
something straight, though.  "Virgula" in classical Latin means "a small
rod," and "virgule" in English means "a slanting or upright line used esp. in
medieval manuscripts to mark a caesura, or as a punctuation mark equivalent
to a comma.  Now also = solidus" (New Shorter Oxford English Dictionary)--in
other words, a slash like / .

Seems to me that "virguliformis" might be extending a French usage into
botanical Latin.  Will non-French-speaking people understand it?

Mark A. Garland
Florida Department of Environmental Protection
2600 Blair Stone Road, Mail Station 2500
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
U.S.A.
mark.garland at dep.state.fl.us
magarland at aol.com