Glossary

A

accessory fruit:

a fleshy fruit with the fleshy part not a part of the pistil

achene:

a small, dry, one-celled, one-seeded indehiscent fruit, the seed attached to the pericarp at one place

acicular:

shaped like a needle

acuminate:

tapering to the apex, the side more or less pinched in before reaching the tip

acute:

tapering to the apex with the sides straight or nearly so

aggregate fruit:

a fleshy fruit formed from several to many succulent pistils

anastamosing:

branching so as to form a network

apiculate:

ending in an abrupt slender tip which is not stiff

aril:

an outgrowth from the hilum (point of attachment) of a seed that covers or is attached to the seed

awn:

threadlike or needlelike tip on a lemma or glume

B

berry:

a fleshy, pulpy fruit with immersed seeds

bifid:

two-cleft or two-lobed

bipinnate:

doubly or twice-pinnate

bract:

a more or less modified leaf situated near a flower or inflorescence

bracteole (bractlet):

a secondary bract, usually smaller than the bracts

C

callus scar:

scar left on the thickened base of the lemma

calyx:

the sepals of a flower

campanulate:

bell-shaped, rather cup-shaped with a flaring rim

capitate:

in a globular or head-shaped cluster

capitula (head):

a dense cluster of usually indeterminate, sessile, or nearly sessile flowers (or fruits)

capsule:

a dry, dehiscent fruit composed of more than one carpel

carpel:

a simple pistil formed from one sporophyll, or that part of a compound pistil formed from one sporophyll

caryopsis (pl. caryopses):

a dry, one-seeded, indehiscent fruit in which the seed is grown fast to the pericarp at all points

catkin (ament):

a spike or spike-like, usually pendulous inflorescence of unisexual flowers

circumscissile:

dehiscing in a transverse circular line, the top separating like the lid of a pill box

columella:

the central column of a capsule, having the seeds affixed around it

compound:

divided into two or more parts

cordate:

of a conventional heart shape

coriaceous:

of the texture of leather

corolla:

the petals of a flower

crenate:

toothed with teeth rounded at apex

cristate:

having or forming a crest

crustaceous:

of a hard or brittle texture

cuboid:

cube-shaped

cuneate:

wedge-shaped; rather narrowly triangular, the acute angle downward

cupulate:

cup-shaped

D

decorticated:

with the bark, rind, or husk removed

decurrent:

extending down along the stem, as the base of some leaves

deltoid:

shaped like the Greek letter delta (i.e., triangular), attached at the center of one side

dentate:

toothed with the teeth directed outward

digitately:

shaped like a spread hand

drupe:

a fleshy, indehiscent fruit, the inner layer of the pericarp stony

E

elliptic:

shaped like an ellipse; widest at the center and the two ends equal

emarginate:

with a shallow notch at the apex

endocarp:

the inner layer of the pericarp when observable

erose:

margin irregular as if gnawed

exocarp:

the outer layer of the pericarp

exserted:

cause to protrude; push out

F

ferruginous:

reddish brown or rust colored

floret:

a small flower, especially one in a dense cluster; a ray floret has a ligulate or strap-shaped flower in composites; a disc floret is a tubular flower in the center of composites

follicle:

a dry fruit with one carpel and splitting down one side only

frond:

the leaf of a fern

G

glabrous:

no hairs present; smooth

glaucous:

covered with a whitish or bluish waxy covering

globose:

globe-shaped

glume:

a chaff-like bract, used particularly for the two lower empty bracts of a grass spikelet

H

hesperidium:

a berry with a leathery exocarp, as in citrus fruits

hip:

the fleshy indehiscent fruit with an inferior ovary of roses

hypanthium:

floral structure consisting of the bases of the sepals, petals, and stamens fused together

I

inflorescence:

a group or cluster of flowers on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches

infructescence:

the fruiting stage of an inflorescence

involucre:

a whorl of distinct or united leaves or bracts subtending a flower or inflorescence

L

lanceolate:

lance-shaped; several times longer than wide, broadest towards the base and tapering to the apex

legume (pod):

the characteristic fruit of the bean family; usually a dehiscent fruit formed from one carpel with two lines of dehiscence

lemma:

the outer or lower of the two bracts or sales surrounding the flower of a grass

lenticular:

lens-shaped; biconvex in shape

ligulate:

strap- or tongue-shaped

locule:

the cell or compartment of an ovary or anther

M

mericarp:

a carpel with one seed; one of a pair split apart at maturity

mesocarp:

the middle layer of the pericarp

microphyll:

small epidermal extensions; not vascularized as in true leaves

mucilaginous:

sticky, viscous

mucronate:

tipped with a short, small, abrupt tooth-like tip

multiple fruit:

one formed from several flowers crowded into a single unit of a common axis

N

nut:

a one-seeded, indehiscent fruit with a hard wall

O

oblate:

flattened at the poles

oblong:

two or four times longer than wide and the sides parallel or nearly so

operculum (pl. opercula, operculums):

a lid or cover, typically on a flower

ovate:

egg-shaped, attached at the wide end

ovoid:

a three dimensional figure that is egg-shaped in outline

P

panicle:

a compound inflorescence with the younger flowers at the apex or center

pedicel:

the stalk to a single flower

pedicellate:

borne on a pedicel

peduncle:

the stalk of a solitary flower

peltate:

shield-shaped, attached to the center or near the center

pepo:

the fleshy indehiscent fruit characteristic of the cucurbit family

perianth:

the outer envelope of a flower, consisting of either the calyx, the corolla, or both

pericarp:

the wall of the ripened ovary (fruit)

petiole:

the stalk of a leaf blade or to a compound leaf

pilose:

with long, soft, straight hairs

pinna (pl. pinnae):

one of the first or primary divisions of a pinnately compound leaf, used especially in ferns

pinnate:

compound leaf with the leaflets on two opposite sides of an elongated axis

pinnule:

any of the smaller leaflets into which each leaflet of a bipinnately compound leaf is subdivided

pith:

the spongy center of a stem surrounding or joining to the inner part of the vascular bundles

pome:

a fleshy indehiscent fruit with an inferior ovary and more than one locule

poridical:

escaping through pores (as in a capsule)

postulate (pustulose):

beset with pimple-like elevated areas

pseudodrupe:

a drupe-like fruit

pubescent:

loosely used for covered with hairs; technically with short, soft hairs

pyriform:

pear-shaped

pyxidium (pyxis):

a capsule with circumcissle dehiscence, the top coming off like a lid

R

raceme:

an inflorescence with pedicelled flowers borne along a more or less elongated axis with the younger flowers nearest the apex

receptacle:

the more or less expanded portion of the flower stalk that bears the organs of a flower

reticulate:

in the form of a network

retuse:

a rounded apex with a shallow notch

S

samara:

a winged achene

scapes:

flowering stems, usually leafless, that rise from the crown or roots of a plant

scarious:

thin, dry, membranous, and more or less translucent

septicidal:

a capsule splitting down the septa and not through the locule

septifragal:

breaking away from a natural dividing line

serrate:

with sharp teeth directed forward

sessile:

without a stalk

simple:

of only one part, not completely divided into separate segments

spike:

an inflorescence with the flowers sessile on a more or less elongated axis with the younger flowers at the apex

spikelet:

a small spike

spinose (spinulose):

beset with smal spines

stamen:

male reproductive organ of a flower

staminate:

having stamens but no pistils

striate:

marked with fine longitudinal lines, grooves, furrows, or streaks

strobiles (strobili, sing. strobilus):

inflorescences characterized by imbricated bracts or scales, as in a pine cone

subcordate:

nearly, but not perfectly, heart-shaped

subglobose:

nearly but not perfectly globe-shaped

T

terete:

circular in cross-section and more or less elongated

thallus:

a vegetative, often flattened body not differentiated into stems and leaves

tomentose:

with a dense, wool-like covering of matted, intermingled hairs of medium length

trigonous:

having a triangular cross section

tripinnate:

pinnately compound three times

tuberculate:

bearing small processes or tubercles

turbinate:

top-shaped; inversely conical

U

undulate:

having a wavy surface, edge, or markings

urceolate:

hollow and cylindrical or ovoid but contracted at or near the mouth like an urn

V

verrucose:

covered with wart-like elevations