plectere

Pynchon may have come across that or, more likely, been thinking of the general word family of Latin plectere, suggesting how the branches of the trees were intertwined.

languagehat.com: PLEXITY. 2005

[337] executed, a wolf pronounce sentence, latro arraigned, and fur sit on the bench, the judge severely punish others, and do worse himself, [338] cundem furtum facere et punire, [339] rapinam plectere, quum sit ipse raptor?

Anatomy of Melancholy 2007

Brightman: "Observandum est illum arguere et castigare; id est, convincere et plectere.

Epistles to the Seven Churches in Asia. 1807-1886 1863