Glossary
A
- acetabuliform:
- saucer-shaped
- acrodromous:
- with veins curving towards the apex
- actinodromous venation:
- a leaf vein pattern with 3 or more primary veins diverging radially from a single point
- actinomorphic:
- radially symmetrical on a single plane
- adventitious roots:
- roots arising from stem tissue
- aerial roots:
- roots growing in the air
- alternate (leaves):
- one leaf per node
- alternate (stamens):
- stamens alternate with the petals
- amorphic:
- flower shape without definite symmetry; usually with an indefinite number of stamens and carpels and subtended by (above) variously colored petals.
- anemochory:
- dispersal by wind
- anemophilous:
- wind-pollinated
- annual:
- a plant that completes its life cycle within a single year
- antepetalous:
- stamens opposite the petals
- antesepalous:
- stamens opposite the sepals
- apical:
- at the tip
- appressed to stem:
- pressed close and flat against the surface
- autochory:
- dispersal via expulsion mechanisms
- autogamous:
- self-pollinating; pollination occurs within a closed flower
- autotrophic:
- a plant that produces its own nourishment
- awned:
- with an apical projection
- axillary buds:
- buds occuring at nodes along the twig
B
- basal acrodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with 2 or more primary or strongly developed secondary veins arising from the base and running in convergent arches toward the leaf apex
- basal palinactinodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with the primary veins diverging in a series of dichotomous branchings starting at the base of the leaf
- biennial:
- a plant that completes its life cycle in 2 years
- bracteoles:
- the structures that subtend (occur below) a single flower in an inflorescence
- bracts:
- structures found at the base of a pedicel or peduncle
- brochidodromous venation:
- a veination pattern with the secondary veins united forming a series of distinct arches
- bud scales:
- specialized leaves that protect the bud
- bulb:
- underground stem surrounded by fleshy, overlapping leaf bases
C
- campanulate:
- bell-shaped
- campylodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with several primary veins or their branches arising at, or nearly at, a single point and forming strongly recurved arches before converging toward the apex (tip)
- cantharophilous:
- beetle-pollinated
- caudice:
- woody, overwintering stem base found in some herbaceous perennials
- cauliferous:
- on the stem (i.e. cauliferous flowers)
- chamaephyte:
- woody or herbaceous evergreen perennial from 25-50 cm tall or whose shoots die back periodically
- chambered pith:
- compartmentalized pith
- chartaceous:
- thin and papery
- chiropterogamous:
- bat-pollinated
- cladodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with secondary veins freely ramified (branching) toward the margin
- clustered buds:
- without readily discernible internodes between buds
- connate:
- united or jointed
- continuous pith:
- pith without walls or compartments
- coriaceous:
- thick and leathery
- corms:
- underground stem covered with thin, dry leaves
- crateriform:
- bowl-shaped
- cuneate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 6:1-3:1, widest at the apex, and with straight margins
D
- deciduous:
- usually losing its leaves with the approach of winter
- decumbent:
- flat on the ground, but with upturned tips
- decussate:
- positioned opposite on the stem but with nodes in two planes alternating at right angles to one another along the stem
- deltate:
- a shape with a length to width ratio of 1:1, widest at base, and with straight margins
- depressed obovate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.5-1:2, widest above the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- depressed ovate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.5-1:2; symmetrically curved margins, and widest below middle
- diadelphous:
- stamens with filaments in 2, connate groups
- didynamous:
- 4 stamens; 2 long and 2 short
- diplostemonous:
- stamens in 2 whorls, the outer whorl of stamens alternate with the petals; the inner whorl of stamens opposite the petals
- distichous:
- leaves alternate, but with nodes occuring in one plane on the stem
E
- elliptic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 2:1-1.5:1, widest at middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- endozoochory:
- dispersal through animal ingestion and excretion
- epipetalous:
- stamens arising from the petals
- epiphyte:
- plants that germinate and root on other plants
- epizoochory:
- dispersal by attachment to fur or feathers
- equitant:
- leaves overlapping, but in 2 ranks
- erect:
- more or less perpendicular to the ground
- eucamptodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with secondary veins upturned and gradually diminishing apically inside the margin, connected to the superadjacent secondary veins by a series of cross veins without forming prominent marginal loops
- evergreen:
- retains its leaves throughout the winter
- exfoliating:
- peeling irregularly
- exserted:
- stamens projecting beyond the perianth
- extrorse:
- stamens facing outward
F
- fascicle:
- a cluster of flowers or leaves
- fibrous roots:
- threadlike and frequently numerous roots
- flabellate palinactinodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with several to many equally fine basal veins diverging radially at low angles and and branching apically
- furrowed:
- with longitudinal grooves
G
- geminate stellate hairs:
- hairs with more than 5 rays in clusters superimposed on one another
- geophyte:
- perennial or biennial herbaceous plants with periodic shoot reduction to a remnant shoot system to storage organs
- glabrescent:
- becoming glabrous with age
- glabrous:
- having no hairs
H
- haplomorphic:
- flower type with numerous parts spirally arranged semispherically; petals colored
- haplostemonous:
- stamens in 1 whorl
- hemi-epiphyte:
- plants that germinate on other plants and then establish soil contact; or plants that germinate on the ground and later terminate soil contact
- hemicryptophyte:
- perennial or biennial herbaceous plants with periodic shoot reduction to a remnant shoot system that lies more or less flat on the ground
- heterotrophic:
- plants that depend on other organisms for nourishment
- hydrochory:
- dispersal by water
- hydrophilous:
- water-pollinated
- hyphodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with only the primary vein present; all others veins are rudimentary or concealed in coriaceous or fleshy tissue
I
- imbricate:
- overlapping
- imparipinnate:
- compound leaves with a single terminal leaflet
- imperfect acrodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with acrodromous veins running less than two-thirds the distance to the apex
- imperfect marginal palinactinodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with veins arising on the lateral actinodromous primary veins covering less than two-thirds of the blade area and reaching the margins
- imperfect reticulate palinactinodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with veins arising on the lateral actinodromous primary veins covering less than two-thirds of the blade area and not reaching the margins
- included:
- stamens not projecting beyond the perianth
- infundibuliform:
- funnel-shaped
- introrse:
- stamens facing inward
J
No entries.
K
No entries.
L
- lanceolate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 6:1-3:1, widest toward the base, and with symmetrically curved margins
- lenticel:
- a small pore with loosely arranged cells involved in gas exchange
- lenticellate:
- with lenticels
- linear obtriangular:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 12:1, widest at the apex, and with straight margins
- linear triangular:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 12:1, widest at base, and with straight margins
- linear:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 12:1 and parallel margins
M
- margin:
- edge
- melittophilous:
- bee-pollinated
- membranaceous:
- thin and flexible
- mixed craspedodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with some of the secondary veins ending at the margin and a more or less equal number of (usually intervening) secondaries
- monadelphous:
- stamens with filaments connate most of their lengths, forming a tube around the style
- monoclinous:
- with both male and female structures in the same flower
- myophilous:
- fly-pollinated
- myrmecochory:
- dispersal by ants
- myrmecophilous:
- ant-pollinated
N
- narrow oblong:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 6:1-3:1, and with parallel margins
- narrowly elliptic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 6:1, widest at the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- narrowly obtrullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 6:1-3:1, widest toward the apex, and with straight margins
- narrowly rhombic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 6:1-3:1, widest at the middle, and with straight margins
- narrowly transversely oblong:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:3-1:6, and with parallel margins
- narrowly transversely rhombic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:3-1:6, widest at middle, and with straight margins
- narrowly transversely elliptic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:3-1:6, widest at the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- narrowly triangular:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 6:1-3:1, widest at the base, and with straight margins
- narrowly trullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 6:1-3:1, widest toward the base, and with straight margins
O
- obdeltate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1, widest at the apex, and with straight margins
- obdiplostemonous:
- stamens in 2 whorls; the outer whorl of stamens opposite the petals, the inner whorl of stamens alternate with the petals
- oblanceolate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 6:1-3:1, widest toward the apex, and with symmetrically curved margins
- oblate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.2, widest at the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- oblong:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 2:1-1.5:1, and with parallel margins
- obovate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 2:1-1.5:1, widest above the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- obtriangular:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 2:1-1.5:1, widest at the apex, and with straight margins
- obtrullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 2:1-1.5:1, widest toward the apex, and with straight margins
- opposite (leaves):
- with 2 leaves at the same node
- opposite (stamens):
- stamens opposite the petals
- ornithogamous:
- bird-pollinated
- oval:
- egg-shaped
- ovate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 2:1-1.5:1, widest below the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
P
- papillose:
- small epidermal outgrowths
- parallelodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with 2 or more primary veins running from the leaf base and parallel to the margin and converging at the apex
- paripinnate:
- compound leaves with all leaflets are more or less paired; therefore leaves lack a single terminal leaflet
- peduncle:
- "stalk" supporting either a single flower or an inflorescence
- peltate scales:
- shield-shaped structures attached to the surface by a stalk
- perennial:
- plants that live several to many years
- perfect acrodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with acrodromous veins well developed, extending at least two-thirds the distance to the apex
- perfect marginal palinactinodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with ramifications of the lateral actinodromous veins occupying at least two-thirds of the blade area and reaching the margins
- perfect reticulate palinactinodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with ramifications of the lateral actinodromous veins occupying at least two-thirds of the blade area, but not reaching the margins
- perigon:
- the term used for tepals collectively
- phalaenophilous:
- moth-pollinated
- phanerantherous:
- stamens with anthers projecting beyond the perianth
- phanerophyte:
- woody or herbaceous evergreen perennials, taller than 50 cm, or whose shoots do not die back
- plated:
- with shallow, circular depressions
- polyadelphous:
- stamens with filaments in several, connate groups
- porrect scales:
- scales occuring in a cluster with the central scale larger than the others
- porrect stellate hairs:
- hairs with more than 5 rays, with the central larger than others
- prickles:
- epidermal extensions not associated with nodes (i.e., not spines or thorns)
- procumbent:
- flat, but loosely on the ground
- prostrate:
- flat on and close to the ground
- psychophilous:
- butterfly-pollinated
Q
- quadrate rhombic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1, widest at the middle, and with straight margins
R
- rachis:
- an extension of the peduncle serving as the axis of an inflorescence
- repent:
- more or less horizontal, creeping
- resin:
- a usually sticky, volatile substance
- reticulodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with secondary veins losing their identities toward the leaf margin by repeated branching into a vein reticulum
- revolute:
- inrolled half way to the midrib or more
- rhizomes:
- underground stem with reduced leaves and internodes
- rhombic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 2:1-1.5:1, widest at the middle, and with straight margins
- ridged:
- with "prominent" longitudinal ribs
- rosulate:
- basal and appearing as a rosette
- rotate stellate hairs:
- hairs more than 5 rays in one plane
S
- semicraspedodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with secondary veins branching just within the margin, one of the branches ending at the margin, the other joining the superadjacent secondary
- sessile scales:
- usually flat structures directly against the surface
- shallowly deltate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.2, widest at the base, and with straight margins
- shallowly obdeltate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.2, widest at the apex, and with straight margins
- shallowly obtriangular:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.5-1:2, widest at the apex, and with straight margins
- shallowly triangular:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.5-1:2, widest at the base, and with straight margins
- shrubs:
- branching near the base and therefore with several to many trunks near the base
- simple craspedodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with all secondary veins and their branches ending at the margin
- soboliferous:
- shoots arising from the ground in clumps; usually applied to shrubs or small trees
- spines:
- sharp projections developed from modified leaves
- spinulose:
- stipules modified into spines
- spurred:
- with any basal or dorsal projections
- square:
- a shape with length to width rations of 1:1, and with parallel margins
- stellate hairs:
- hairs with more than 5 rays in more than one plane
- stereomorphic:
- flower shapes that are radially symmetric; 3-dimensional flowers
- stolons:
- above ground stem rooting at nodes
- striate:
- with "fine" longitudinal ribs
- subopposite:
- 2 leaves almost opposite one another at the same node
- suprabasal acrodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with 2 or more primary or strongly developed secondary veins arising some distance above the base and running in convergent arches toward the leaf apex
- suprabasal palinactinodromous venation:
- a leaf venation pattern with primaries diverging in a series of dichotomous branchings starting some distance above the base
- syngenesious:
- stamens with connate anthers
T
- tap root:
- primary root that more or less enlarges and grows downward
- terminal bud:
- the bud at the end of a twig
- tetradynamous:
- 6 stamens; 4 long and 2 short
- therophte:
- annuals; plants that die after seed production and complete their entire life cycle within one year
- thorns:
- twigs modified into spinelike structures which may support leaves
- transversely depressed trullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.5-1:2, widest toward the base, and with straight margins
- transversely depressed obtrullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.5-1:2, widest toward the apex, and with straight margins
- transversely elliptic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.5-1:2, widest at the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- transversely linear:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:12, and with parallel margins
- transversely oblong:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.5-1:2, and with parallel margins
- transversely rhombic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.5-1:2, widest at the middle, and with straight margins
- transversely widely oblong:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.2, and with parallel margins
- trees:
- with a single or few trunks near the base
- triangular:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 2:1-1.5:1, widest at the base, and with straight margins
- trullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 2:1-1.5:1, widest toward the base, and with straight margins
- tuberous roots:
- a root, or portion of a root, enlarged for storage
- tubers:
- underground stem tip which is enlarged and fleshy
- tubular:
- cylindrical
- tufted stellate hairs:
- hairs with more than 5 rays on distinctly raised mounds of epidermal tissue
U
- urceolate:
- urn-shaped
V
- valvate:
- adjacent to but not overlapping one another
- vascular bundle scar:
- the scar formed by the vascular tissue when a leaf falls off the twig
- vascular parasite:
- a parasite that grows on living plants
- vascular saprophyte:
- growing on dead organic matter
- vascular semi-parasite:
- green plants growing attached to other living, autotrophic plants
- ventricose:
- inflated
- very shallowly obtriangular:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:3-1:6, widest at the apex, with straight margins
- very shallowly triangular:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:3-1:6, widest at the base, with straight margins
- very widely obovate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1, widest above the middle, with symmetrically curved margins
- very widely trullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1, widest toward the base, with straight margins
- very widely ovate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1, widest below the middle, with symmetrically curved margins
- very widely obtrullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1, widest toward the apex, with straight margins
W
- warty:
- with "knobby" lumps on the twig surface
- whorled:
- with 3 or more leaves at the same node
- widely deltate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1.2:1, widest at the base, and with straight margins
- widely depressed trullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.2, widest toward the base, and with straight margins
- widely depressed ovate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.2, widest below the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- widely depressed obovate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.2, widest above the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- widely depressed obtrullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.2, widest toward the apex, and with straight margins
- widely elliptic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1.2:1, widest at the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- widely obdeltate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1.2:1, widest at the apex, and with straight margins
- widely oblong:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1.2:1, and with parallel margins
- widely obovate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1.2:1, widest above the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- widely obtrullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1.2:1, widest toward the apex, and with straight margins
- widely ovate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1.2:1, widest below the middle, and with symmetrically curved margins
- widely rhombic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1.2:1, widest at the middle, and with straight margins
- widely transversely rhombic:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1:1.2, widest at the middle and with straight margins
- widely trullate:
- a shape with length to width ratios of 1.2:1, widest toward the base, and with straight margins
- winged:
- with an extension emanating from the stem
X
No entries.
Y
No entries.
Z
- zygomorphic:
- flower shapes that are bilaterally symmetrical
Image, top of page: Antonio M. Rosario