BOTANICAL
GLOSSARY
|
Aggregate
|
Group of closely related species |
| Alternate | Neither opposite or whorled |
| Anther | The part of the plant that produces male pollen. Located on top of the filament |
| Annual | A plant that flowers and dies within one year |
| Appressed | Flattened against the stem |
| Berry | A fleshy fruit that contains many hard coated seeds |
| Biennial | A plant that flowers and dies withing two years. It produces leaves in the first year and dies in the second |
| Bract | A small leaf-like structure that is located at the base of the flower stalk or in groups beneath the flowerhead |
| Bulb | A swollen underground bud with scale-like leaves |
| Calyx | The whorl of sepals |
| Capsule | A dry fruit consisting of 2 or more seed-containing compartments |
| Carpel | A division of the ovary |
| Clasping Leaf | A leaf that encloses the stem with basal lobes known as auricles |
| Compound Leaf | A leaf divided into seperate leaflets. |
| Corolla | The whorl of petals |
| Corm | An underground storage organ |
| Corymb | A flat headed raceme with the flower stalks (pedicels) becoming progressively shorter |
| Dimorphic | Differing flowers of the same species that occur on the same or different plants |
| Dioecious Plants | Species of plants that have female and males flowers on different plants |
| Drupe | A fleshy fruit with inner seeds surrounded by a hard, stony case |
| Elliptic | Shaped like an ellipse (as in leaf) |
| Endemic | Native to one area or country |
| Entire | Untoothed |
| Epicalyx | Outer calyx as well as the true calyx |
| Epichile | Front part of lip on some orchids |
| Epiphyte | A non parasitic plant that grows on another |
| Flexuous | Wavy |
| Floret | Small flower |
| Glabrous | Hairless |
| Glaucous | Greyish-blue |
| Herb | A non woody plant that dies back each year |
| Inflorescence | Any grouping if flowers on one plant |
| Involucre | A collar or ring of bracts at the base of a flowerhead |
| Keel | The 2 lower joined petals of a pea flower |
| Labellum | The lip of an orched |
| Lanceolate | Lance-shaped |
| Latex | A milky juice exuded from some plants when cut |
| Midrib | The main, central vein of a leaf |
| Monocotyledons | Germinating with only one first leaf |
| Node | The point on a stem were leaves are attached |
| Ovary | The collective carpels of a flower |
| Panicle | A branched raceme |
| Pappus | Tuft of hairs on a fruit |
| Pedicel | Stalk of an individual flower |
| Peduncle | Stalk of an inflorescence |
| Raceme | Spike-like inflorescence with distantly stalked flowers |
| Rhizome | A creeping underground stem |
| Runner | A creeping stem that is above ground which can form a new plant from its tip |
| Saprophyte | A plant that feeds on the rotting remains of other vegetation |
| Sepals | Outer parts of flower that protect the bloom when in bud |
| Sessile | Stalkless |
| Spur | Hollow cylindrical projection from flower that is usually located towards the rear and contains nectar |
| Stamen | The male organ of the plant comprising of the filament and anther |
| Stipule | Leaf-like or scale-like appendage at the base of a leaf stalk |
| Style | A stalk like structure bearing the stigma at its tip |
| Umbel | A flat topped inflorescence |
| Whorled leaves | Leaves arising from a stem at the same point |