Glossary

abaxial: on the side of a lateral organ away from the axis or stem (cf. adaxial)
abortive: imperfectly developed; defective; barron
acaulescent: lacking a distinct stem
acerose: narrow with a sharp, stiff point
acicula, acicle: a needle-shaped projection; hence acicular: needle-shaped
aciculate: finely striated by minute, needle-like bristles
aculeate: prickly or spiny
acuminate: tapering and drawn out into a narrow point (cf. acute, mucronate)
acute: evenly narrowed into a point at an angle of less than 90 degrees (cf. acuminate, obtuse)
adiaxial: on the side of a lateral organ towards the axis or stem (cf. abaxial)
adventitious: arising in an irregular or unusual position, such as roots along a stem
adventive: intoduced recently, in particular since colonization by man (cf, exotic, introduced, indigenous)
aerial roots: roots growing in the air
alpine: pertaining to or occurring on very high and cold mountains
alternate: individually inserted at different positions along the axis (cf. opposite, decussate)
alveolus: a cavity, pore or pit; hence alveolate
amphibious: capable of growing both in water and on land; growing with part of the plant in the water or mud and part in the air (cf. rheophyte, aquatic, terrestrial, marine)
amplexicaul: stem-clasping
angiosperm: flowering plant, plants with ovules enclosed in ovary (cf. gymnosperm)
annual: completing the life-cycle within one year (cf. perennial)
annular: in the form of a ring (n. sing. annulas)
anomalous: irregular; abnormal
apex: tip or summit
apical: at or towards the tip of an organ or axis
apiculus: a short sharp point in which an organ may end; hence apiculate (cf. cuspidate)
apposite: side by side
aquatic: growing in water (cf. marine, amphibious, rheophyte, terrestrial)
arborescent: tree-like in size and habit
aromatic: with a resinous, spicy or distinctive smell
attenuate: gradually narrowed or tapered
axis: the main or central line or stem about which the lateral organs or parts are arranged

barbed: bearing sharp, spine-like hooks which are bent backwards
barren: sterile, incapable of reproducing
basal: at or towards the base of an organ or axis
biennial: a plant which lives for more than one but less than two years (cf. annual, perennial)
bifurcate: split in two, hence bifurcation
bilabiate: two-lipped
bipinnate: twice or doubly pinnate
bract: usually a more or less modified leaf subtending an axis; hence bracteate
bulbiferous: bearing bulbs or bulbils for vegetative propagation

caducous: short-lived and falling early in the development of the plant or organ (cf. deciduous)
calcareous: derived from limestone, or with an excess of lime (calcium carbonate)
campanulate: bell-shaped
canescent: with a grey-white pubescence
capsule: a dry, dehiscent fruiting body; hence capsular
cell: the small structural components of which all plant tissue is composed
clone: a set of organisms produced from one parent by vegetative reproduction, hence genetically identical
cordate: heart-shaped, basally rounded with a deep notch
crenate: with shallow, rounded teeth
crisped: with the margins finely wavy, curled or crumpled
crown: part of a tree, shrub, etc, above the first branching
cruciform: in the shape of a cross
cryptogam: plants reproducing by spores and not seeds, eg. ferns, mosses, fungi etc.
cultivar: a distinct true-breeding race or form, established in cultivation

deciduous: falling off at maturity, often referring to the loss of leaves in response to seasonal variations
dentate: with sharp teeth perpendicular to the margin
dehisce: to split open; hence dehiscence, dehiscent
digitate: with the parts spreading from the centre like the fingers of a hand

ebracteate: without bracts
echinate: bearing prickles or spines
edaphic: pertaining to the soil
elliptic: of a plane with the shape of an ellipse, longer than wide and rounded at both ends, the widest part near the middle
elongate: drawn out in length
embryo: developing zygote in the fertilized seed
endemic: confined to a given region
entire: with a smooth, even margin, lacking teeth or other indentations
exotic: introduced from abroad

family: a taxonomic grouping of similar genera; similar families grouped into orders
fastigiate: of erect and clustered branches
fertile: producing seeds, spores or pollen capable of germination; of a plant with reproductive organs
foliar: pertaining to the leaves or leaf-like parts

glabrous: naked, lacking hairs or scales
glaucous: with a distinct bluish, waxy bloom or powder on the surface
grassland: a community dominated by grass species
gymnosperm: plant with the ovules borne naked or unprotected, the conifers or cone-bearing plants and their allies

habitat: the kind of place in which a plant grows
halophyte: a plant which grows in and tolerates salty environments
herb: a vascular plant which is not wood; hence herbaceous
hermaphrodite: bearing both sexes, usually in the same flower
hybrid: the progeny of different taxa (genera or species), often of intermediate appearance

imparipinnate: pinnate with the rachis terminated by a single leaflet or tendril
indehiscent: not splitting open at maturity
indigenous: native, occurring naturally in an area; hence indigene
introduced: not indigenous, not native to the area in which it now occurs, brought in by accident or design

juvenile: young, immature
juvenile leaves: the first-formed leaves, especially when they differ from the mature leaves

lacerate: with an irregular, ragged margin, as though torn
laciniate: deeply, usually irregularly divided into very narrow, pointed segments
lanceolate: lance-shaped, of a plane several times longer than wide, widest in the basal third, tapering gradually towards the tip, more rapidly towards the base (cf. oblanceolate)
leaflet: the basic element of a compound leaf (cf. pinna, pinnule)
lepto-: prefix meaning 'thin', 'slender' or 'narrow'
liguliform: tongue- or strap-shaped
linear: long and narrow with parallel margins
lithophyte: a plant growing on rocks
littoral: coastal, or growing along the beach

maritime: pertaining to the sea; coastal
marsh: a waterlogged area, a swamp
meristem: region of tissue actively involved in cell division and production
morphology: form and structure; the study of these
mycorrhiza: a fungus associated with the root of a plant, the association of mutual benefit

naked: lacking bracts or epidermal appendages (cf. glabrous)

 

oblanceolate: of a plane several times longer than wide, widest in the apical third, tapering gradually towards the base, more rapidly towards the apex (cf. lanceolate)
oblong: longer than broad, with parallel margins and rounded ends
opposite: of a pair of organs arising at the same level on opposite sides of the stem
orbicular: rounded or circular in outline
organism: a complete, living individual of a species
oval: broadly elliptic, narrowing somewhat from the middle to rounded ends

palmate: radially lobed or divided like the fingers of a hand
panicle: an elongate inflorescence with compound branching; hence panicled or paniculate
parasite: an organism living in or on another (the host), and deriving nourishment from it paripinnate: pinnate with the cachis terminate by a pair of leaflets or pinnae
pectinate: comb-like; deeply divided with the segments narrow and close
peduncle: stalk of a flower or inflorescence; hence pedunculate
pendulous: hanging, drooping
penniform:with ribs, the upper segments confluent at the apex
perennial: with a life cycle lasting two or more years
perfoliate: of a leaf or bract completely encircling the axis and so the stem apparently passing through it
persistent: remaining until the part that bears it is fully mature or longer that otherwise expected
petiole: stalk of a leaf; hence petiolate (cf. sessile)
phenotype: the physical characteristics of an organism as opposed to its genetic composition or genotype; hence phenetic
photosynthesis: the production of sugars etc. from water and carbon dioxide with the aid of chlorophyll, using energy from sunlight; hence photosynthetic
pinnate: compound, with leaflets or pinnae, arranged in a single row each side of the common rachis
pollen: the microspores or the dust-like fertilizing cells of gymnosperms and angiosperms
procumbent: lying on the ground but not rooting
prostrate: lying trailing along the ground
protuberance: a swelling or bump on the surface
pubescent: covered with hairs, especially soft, downy hairs

radical: of leaves arising at the base of the stem and forming a rosette or tuft
rainforest: a complex community dominated by trees, with high rainfall, many epiphytes and lianas
rhizome: a modified underground stem, usually growing horizontally; the stem of ferns; hence rhizomatous
root: the typically underground extension of the stem that tends to grow downwards, not bearing leaves and absorbing minerals and water from the soil or substrate
rootstock: a swollen root and/or part of all of a very short stem, sometimes partly above the ground
rupestral: growing among rocks or on rock walls

saline: salty
savanna (Savannah): a community dominated by species of grass with scattered trees; mostly strongly seasonal
scandent: climbing, usually without special climbing organs
scrub: a community dominated by shrubs
sessile: without a stalk, attached directly to the axis or organ
siliceous: containing crystals of silica
spike: an unbranched, elongate, indeterminate inflorescence with sessile flowers
spiniform: thorn-like
spore: a single, vegetative, reproductive cell that does not contain an embryo, in cryptogams
sterile: barren, not producing seed, pollen or spores capable of germination; of a plant lacking reproductive organs
stilt-roots: oblique adventitious roots from the stem
stipe: a stalk or support; the petiole of a fern frond; hence stipitate
stipule: one of a pair of leaf-derived organs inserted at or near the base of a petiole; hence stipulate
stolon: a more or less horizontal, elongate stem rooting at the nodes and at least partly above the ground
strobilus: a scaly, cone-like structure that bears spores (cf. cone)
substrate: the surface or medium to which the plant is anchored, not necessarily providing nourishment

taxonomy: the study of the division of life forms into similar and distinct categories
temperate: pertaining to the cooler areas of the world with moderate climates
terminal: at the end of a stem or axis
translucent: letting light through, almost transparent
trifoliolate: of a compound leaf with three radial leaflets
tropic: pertaining to the warmer or equatorial regions of the world; hence tropical
truncate: with the base or apex flattened abruptly as though cut off
trunk: the erect, unbranched portion of a tree-like plant

unifoliolate: of a compound leaf reduced to a single leaflet
urceolate: hollow and contracted at the mouth like an urn or pitcher

variegated: irregularly coloured in patches
vegetation: the total aggregation of plant communities within an area
virgate: twiggy, elongate, straight and slender

wing: a membranous or lamina-like border or surround
wrinkled: creased, folded up irregularly in every direction

 

xerophyte: a drought resisting plant