Taxonomic history:
   1753: Linnaeus described this species as Mesembryanthemum calamiforme in Species Plantarum, 1st ed., p. 481.
   today: The current name for this species is Cylindrophyllum calamiforme (L.) Schwantes

original Latin diagnosis
Mesembryanthemum acaule; foliis subteretibus connatis, floribus octagynis.

English translation
Mesembryanthemum stemless; with leaf blades nearly round [in cross-section] [and] connate; [and] with flowers eight-pistilled.

English translation with commentary

Mesembryanthemum	Mesembryanthemum
stemless,	acaule - nominative singular neuter of group B adjective acaulis, acaulis, acaule; modifies Mesembryanthemum
with leaf blades	foliis - ablative plural of second declension neuter noun folium, -i
nearly round [in cross-section],	subteretibus - ablative plural neuter of group B adjective subteres, -es, -e; modifies foliis
[and]	[added for smoother reading]
connate;	connatis - ablative plural neuter of group A adjective connatus, -a, -um; modifies foliis
[and]	[added for smoother reading]
with flowers	floribus - ablative plural of third declension masculine noun flos, floris
eight-pistilled.	octagynis - ablative plural masculine of group A adjective octagynus, -a, -um; modifies floribus