ACAULESCENT: with stem so short that leaves appear to arise
directly from root.
ACHENE: a small, dry, one-seeded indehiscent, seed-like fruit.
ACUMINATE: tapering gradually to a point.
ACUTE: with an abrupt point.
ADNATE: growing together as the stamens with the petals, or the
anthers with the filament.
ALTERNATE: (leaves) not opposite but arising at different points
on the stem. Stamens are alternate with petals when they are
situated in the intervals.
ANTHER: the part of the stamen which contains the pollen.
APICAL: pertaining to the top or apex.
AURICULATE: with ear-like appendages at base.
AXIAL: pertaining to an axis.
BILABIATE: two-lipped.
BLADE: the expanded portion of a leaf.
BRACT: a modified and usually small leaf at the base of a flower
or flower-cluster. In the latter case it is usually
associated with others.
BRACTEOLATE: furnished with small bracts.
CÆSPITOSE: growing in tufts.
CALYX: the outer whorl of floral leaves forming usually a green cup.
CAMPANULATE: bell-shaped.
CANESCENT: greyish-white, due usually to fine hairs.
CAPILLARY: hair-like.
CAPITATE: arranged in a head; knob-like.
CAPSULE: a dry, dehiscent seed-vessel.
CARPEL: a pistil-leaf. The pistil is regarded as being composed of
one or more such carpels.
CATKIN: the scaly, cylindrical flower-cluster of Willow, Birch, etc.
CAUDATE: with a tail-like appendage.
CAUDEX: the perennial rootstock of an otherwise annual plant.
CHARTACEOUS: papery or parchment-like.
CILIATE: fringed with marginal hairs.
CINEREOUS: ashen or greyish.
CLEISTOGAMIC: (flowers) never opening as the late flowers of
violets, etc.
CONNATE: united.
CORDATE: heart-shaped.
CORIACEOUS: leathery.
CORM: a solid bulb.
CORYMBOSE: with a flat-topped or convex flower-cluster, the
flower-stalks of which arise at different points on the axis,
and of which the outermost flowers are the oldest.
CRENATE: with rounded teeth.
CRENULATE: with small rounded teeth.
CUNEATE: wedge-shaped.
CUSPIDATE: ending in a sharp, hard point.
CYME: a flat-topped or convex flower-cluster, the flower-stalks of
which arise at different points on the axis, and of which the
innermost flowers are the oldest.
DECIDUOUS: subject to fall, as leaves of most trees and calyx and
corolla of most flowers before the fruit forms.
DECUMBENT: (stems) reclining on the ground with summit tending
to rise.
DECURRENT: (leaves) with base prolonged below insertion and forming
a sort of wing.
DELTOID: broadly triangular.
DENTATE: toothed, usually with teeth projecting outwards.
DENTICULATE: with little, outwardly projecting teeth.
DIŒCIOUS: having staminate and pistillate flowers on separate
plants.
DISC: the central part of a head as opposed to the ray,
_e. g._, in the sun-flower. Also a fleshy expansion
of the receptacle of the flower.
DRUPE: a stone-fruit.
DRUPELET: a small stone-fruit.
ELLIPTIC: with the outline of an ellipse.
ENTIRE: with the margin even and not toothed, lobed, or divided.
EROSE: irregularly margined.
FIMBRIATE: fringed.
FLOCCOSE: with loose tufts of wool-like hairs.
FOLIACEOUS: leaf-like.
FOLLICLE: a fruit of one carpel (pistil-leaf) which splits only
by one suture.
FUSIFORM: spindle-shaped.
GALEA: a helmet-shaped body.
GLANDULAR: with small prominences which appear to have a secreting
function.
GLAUCOUS: covered with a bluish or white bloom.
GLOBOSE: spherical.
INCISED: sharply and irregularly cut into.
INDUSIUM: the membrane covering the fruit-dots of ferns.
INFERIOR: (side of flower) the one away from the axis of the
flower-cluster; (ovary) united with the calyx tube, the
other floral parts apparently growing from its summit.
INFLORESCENCE: the mode of arrangement of flowers on the stem;
the flower-cluster.
INTERNODE: the portion of the stem between the places where the
leaves arise.
INVOLUCRE: a whorl of small leaves at the base of a flower
or flower-cluster.
KEEL: the lower petals of the peculiar corolla of the pea, etc.,
which are united in the form of the keel of a boat.
LACINIATE: with deep, triangular, narrow lobes.
LANATE: woolly.
LANCEOLATE: narrow and tapering at each end.
LATERAL: pertaining to the side.
LEAFLET: one of the divisions of the blade of a compound leaf.
LINEAR: narrow and flat with the margins parallel.
LYRATE: lyre-shaped.
MONŒCIOUS: having the separate staminate and pistillate flowers
on the same plant.
MUCRONATE: with a short, abrupt point.
NODE: the point of the stem from which one or more leaves arise.
OBLANCEOLATE: lance-shaped with the base tapering downwards.
OBTUSE: blunt.
ORBICULAR: circular.
OVATE: egg-shaped (applied to flat bodies).
OVOID: egg-shaped (applied to solids).
PALMATE: (compound leaf) with the divisions so arranged that they
radiate from the petiole-like the fingers of the hand.
PANICLE: a branched, flower-cluster with the older flowers
outermost.
PANICULATE: with much branched open flower clusters.
PAPILLÆ: minute, blunt projections.
PAPPUS: the bristles, awns, or hairs which crown the fruit of
the Composites.
PARIETAL: (placentæ) attached to the wall of the ovary.
PEDUNCLE: a flower-stalk.
PERENNIAL: lasting from year to year.
PERFOLIATE: (leaves) having the basal part so extended and united
as to make it appear as though the stem grew through them.
PERIANTH: the calyx and corolla collectively.
PETAL: a corolla-leaf.
PETALOID: petal-like.
PETIOLE: the leaf-stalk.
PINNÆ: the primary divisions of a compound leaf.
PINNATE: compound with leaflets arranged along a common axis.
PINNATIFID: pinnately cleft.
PINNULES: secondary pinnæ.
PLACENTÆ: the parts of the ovary to which the seeds are attached.
PLUMOSE: feathery.
POLLEN: the fertilising powder of the anther.
POLYGAMOUS: having both perfect and imperfect flowers.
PROSTRATE: lying flat on the ground.
PUBERULENT: covered with tiny almost imperceptible hairs.
PULVINI: cushions or pads.
RACEME: a flower-cluster in which the stalked flowers are arranged
along an elongated axis.
RACEMOSE: raceme-like.
RACHIS: the axis.
RADICAL: arising from the root, or portion of the stem resembling
the root.
RECEPTACLE: the usually somewhat enlarged portion of the stem on
which parts of a flower or of a flower-cluster are borne.
RENIFORM: kidney-shaped.
REPAND: wavy-margined.
RETICULATE: arranged like a network.
REVOLUTE: rolled backward.
RHIZOME: an underground stem; a rootstock.
RHOMBIC: having the shape of a four-sided figure with parallel and
equal sides which may be either perpendicular or oblique to
each other.
RHOMBOID: of a somewhat rhombic shape.
ROTATE: wheel-shaped.
RUNCINATE: coarsely cut into with the segments turned backward.
SAGITTATE: shaped like an arrow-head with the lobes turned downward.
SAMARA: a simple, indehiscent, winged fruit.
SAPROPHYTE: a plant which grows on dead organic matter.
SCALE: a minute, rudimentary leaf.
SCAPE: a leafless or nearly leafless flower-stalk arising from near
the ground.
SCARIOUS: dry, thin, membranous.
SCURF: minute scales on the epidermis (skin).
SEPALS: the divisions of the calyx.
SERRATE: with teeth pointing forwards.
SERRULATE: with minute forward pointing teeth.
SESSILE: (leaf) without any stalk.
SHEATH: a tubular structure such as is formed by the lower part of
the leaves of grasses, etc.
SILICLE: a short and broad silique.
SILIQUE: the elongated two-valved and usually dehiscent fruit of the
Cress family. It is divided by a partition and the placentæ are
parietal.
SINUATE: with a strongly wavy margin.
SINUS: the recess between the lobes of a leaf.
SORI: the fruit-dots of ferns.
SPADIX: a fleshy spike as in the Araceæ.
SPATHE: a large bract or pair of bracts enclosing a flower or an
inflorescence.
SPATULATE: spoon-shaped.
SPIKE: a flower-cluster in which the flowers are stalkless on an
elongated axis.
SPORANGES: the sacs containing the spores.
SPORE: the reproductive body of ferns.
SPOROPHYLL: leaf-like organ or receptacle containing spores.
STAMEN: the organ of the flower which produces the pollen.
STAMINODIA: sterile stamens or structures which are developed
in the place of stamens.
STELLATE: star-shaped.
STIPE: the leaf-stalk of a fern.
STIPULE: an appendage such as is found at the base of many
leaf-stalks.
STOLON: a trailing and rooting shoot.
STRIATE: marked with slender, longitudinal stripes.
STRICT: straight and upright.
STYLE: (of pistil) the elongated portion at top of ovary.
SUBULATE: awl-shaped.
SUPERIOR: (side of flower) the one next the axis of a
flower-cluster; (ovary) free from calyx tube.
TERETE: cylindrical, circular in cross-section.
TERNATE: in threes.
TOMENTOSE: clothed with matted wool-like hairs.
TORULOSE: knobby; swollen at intervals.
TRUNCATE: as if cut off at the top.
TUBERCLE: a small knob-like outgrowth.
TURBINATE: top-shaped.
UMBEL: an umbrella-like flower-cluster.
UNDULATE: wavy.
VALVATE: (leaves in bud) meeting by the margins, not overlapping.
VERTICILLATE: whorled.
VEXILLUM: the standard of the peculiar flower of pea, etc.
VILLOUS: with long soft hairs.