| achene |
A small dry, hard fruit with one seed that does not open when ripe. |
| acuminate |
A leaf tip that narrows at the end
to a tapering point. |
| alternate |
Leaves placed singly along the stem, not opposite. |
| annual |
A plant that lives one year (or one growing season). |
| anther |
The pollen-bearing parts of a
stamen. |
| apex |
The usually pointed end of an
object; the tip. |
| apical |
At or pertaining to the
tip of any part of a plant |
| areole |
A small space or interstice in a
tissue or part, such as the area bounded by small veins in a leaf. |
| awn |
A slender bristle tip. |
| axillary |
On the axil, the spot where the leaf stem meets the branch or the stem. |
| axis |
The main line of growth of a plant. |
| basal |
Growing from the base of the stem. |
| berry |
A simple fruit with skin around the fleshy meat and seed. |
| biennial |
A plant that lives two years (or two growing seasons). |
| bog |
A wetland formed where the soil is
soggy, strongly acidic, and low in nutrients. |
| brackish (water) |
Water that contains more sea salts
than freshwater, but less than open sea water. |
| bracts |
A small leaf that grows at the base of a flower. |
| branchlet |
A small branch that grows from a
large branch or tree trunk |
| calyx |
Collective terms for all the sepals
of a flower; the outer whorl of flowering plants. |
| canescent |
Densely covered by short gray-white
hairs. |
| capsule |
A dry fruit, which opens into tow or more sections when ripe. |
| carinate |
Projecting a longitudinal medial
line on the lower surface. |
| carnivorous |
Plants that "digest" animal matter. |
| caudex |
Persistent thickened stem of a
herbaceous perennial plant. |
| cluster |
A group of flowers. |
| compound |
Made of two or more similar parts. |
| concentric |
Having a common center. |
| coniferous |
Bearing cones, as in a cone-bearing
tree. |
| corm |
The underground stem of a plant,
bulblike. |
| corolla |
Collective term for all the petals
of a flower, whether separate or fused together. |
| cuneate |
Triangular with the long point
toward the base. |
| deciduous |
A plant that loses leaves annually. |
| dentate |
Toothed with point outward directed. |
| disc (disk) |
The central part of the composite flower that is surrounded by rays and is made up of tiny tubular
flowers. |
| distal |
Situated farthest from the point of
attachment or origin. |
| drupe |
A fruit with a hard seed or pit inside. |
| elliptic |
Shaped like an oval, ellipsoid. |
| emersed |
Rising above the surface of water. |
| entire |
Margin of the leaf is smooth and
without lobes or teeth. |
|
estuarine |
An area where a freshwater river
meets the ocean and tidal influences result in fluctuations in salinity. |
| evergreen |
Has green leaves or needles
yearlong. |
| fascicle |
A bundle or cluster of stems,
flowers, or leaves. |
| filiform |
Thin in diameter, resembling a
thread. |
| flower |
The part of the plant with nectar
and pollen that aids in growing new plants. |
| fronds |
The leaf of a fern, often having
many feathery parts (leaflets). |
| fruit |
The part of a plant containing
seeds; fruit grows after the flower was pollinated. |
| glabrous |
Lacking hairs or other
protuberances. |
| glandular |
Gland-bearing; having or bearing
secreting organs, glands, or trichomes. |
| glaucous |
Covered with a waxy coat, often
whitish or bluish in color. |
| globose |
Having a spherical shape |
| habitat |
The place where a plant naturally
grows. |
| herb |
The leafy upper portion of a plant,
minus its roots. |
| herbaceous |
A non-woody plant that dies to the
ground each year. |
| hydric |
Environmental condition characterized by excessive moisture. |
| inflorescence |
A flower or fruit cluster including
axis or bracts but not vegetative leaves. |
| involute |
Having margins rolled inward,
especially of petals or leaves in a bud. |
| lanceolate |
Rounded base narrowing to the tip,
lance-shaped. |
| leaflet |
Any subdivision of a compound leaf. |
| legume |
A pod, such as a pea or bean,
containing many seeds. |
| ligules |
Membranous structures or fringe of
hairs found at the junction of the leaf blade and sheath of grasses. |
| linear |
Long and narrow. |
| lobed |
Having lobes, rounded parts of
leaves or petals. |
| margin |
The edge of a leaf. |
|
midden (shell) |
A site formed of mainly concentrated
shellfish remains and other refuse that indicates the site of a human
settlement. |
| mesic |
Environmental condition
characterized by medium moisture. |
| mesohaline |
Moderately brackish water with a
salinity range of 5.0 to 18.0 parts per thousand. These areas are
typically in the middle portion of an estuary. |
| native |
A plant in a region where it grows
naturally and where it evolved. |
| nodes |
The place on a stem where leaves
grow. |
| oblanceolate |
Lance-shaped but broadest above the
middle and tapering toward the base. |
| obovate |
Egg-shaped and flat with the narrow
end attached to the stalk. |
| oligohaline |
Water with salt concentrations from
0.5 to 5.0 parts per thousand, due to ocean-derived salts. These areas
are typically in the upper portion of an estuary. |
| opposite |
Placed in pairs across from each
other on a stem, not alternate. |
| orbicular |
Like a sphere or circle, round. |
| ovate |
Egg-shaped with the widest part
toward the base. |
| ovoid |
Egg-shaped, ovate. |
| palmate |
Arranged in a radial pattern. |
| panicle |
An elongated, branched flower
cluster with stalked flowers. |
| pedicel |
The stalk of a single flower or fruit. |
| peduncle |
The flower stalk or tendril that may support a cluster of flowers or the single flower. |
| peltate |
Having a flat, circular structure
attached to a stalk near the center; shield-shaped. |
| perennial |
A plant that lives more than two
years (or two growing seasons). |
| perianth |
Collective term for the calyx and
corolla of a flower. |
| petaloid |
Resembling a petal. |
| petals |
The segment of the flowers, usually
colored. |
| petiole |
A leaf stalk. |
| pinna |
A leaflet or primary division of a
pinnately compound leaf. |
| pinnate |
The leaf that has a structure
similar to a feather, with lateral branching. |
| pinnatifid |
Divided in a pinnate manner. |
| pistil |
The ovule-bearing part of a flower.
The pistil consists of a stigma, style, and ovary (the "female" part of
a flower). |
| pistillate |
With pistils, but lacking stamens
(female). |
|
polyhaline |
Describes waters with salinity
between 18.0 and 30.0 parts per thousand. These areas are typically in
the lower portion of an estuary, where the ocean and estuary meet. |
| puberulent |
With soft, short, fine hairs. |
| pubescence |
Any type of hair-like structure on a
plant part. |
| raceme |
A cluster of flowers with stalked
flowers arranged along a central stem. |
|
racemiform |
An inflorescence that appears to be
a raceme |
| ray |
The petal-like flowers of a
composite "flower" that encircle the disk flowers. |
| retrorse |
Directed back or downward |
| rhizome |
Root-like, horizontal, underground
stem that sends up leafy shoots. |
| riverine |
Located on or inhabiting the banks
of a river. |
| rosettes |
Circular group of leaves located
around the bases of plants. |
| savanna |
A large, flat grassland. |
| scabrous |
Having a coarse surface due to the
structure of the surface or short stiff hairs. Rough to the touch. |
| scape |
A leafless flower stalk growing
directly from the ground. |
| scapose |
Having a leafless flower stalk. |
| schizocarp |
The dry fruit that divides in two,
each containing a seed. |
| sepals |
Floral leaf that occurs outside the
petals; often green and sometimes colorful, mimicking petals. |
| serrate |
Toothed with the teeth pointing away
from the stem or base. |
| sericeous |
Silky. |
| sessile |
Having no stalk. |
| shrub |
A woody plant with several equally
large stems from the base. A shrub is usually less than 4.5 m tall. |
|
silvicultural |
The care and cultivation of forest
trees; forestry. |
| spatulate |
Broad rounded end and narrow base,
shaped like a spatula. |
| spike |
A flower cluster consisting of
flowers growing directly from a central stalk. |
| spikelet |
The basic unit of the inflorescence
of grasses and sedges. |
| sporangia |
Case containing spores. |
| spore |
The reproductive body produced and
dispersed by ferns and other lower vascular plants that do not reproduce
by true seeds. |
| stamen |
The male organ of a flower that
contains pollen. |
| staminate |
With stamens, but lacking a pistil
(male). |
| stolon |
A running stem that forms roots |
| strigose |
With sharp, straight, and stiff
hairs. |
| subglobose |
Not quite globose. |
| subulate |
Shaped like an awl, thin and
tapering to a small point. |
| taproot |
A very long central root like a
carrot. |
| terminal |
The end of a stem or branch. |
| toothed |
Having tooth-like indentions along
the edge of a leaf. |
| trichome |
A hair-like or bristle-like
outgrowth. |
| trifoliate |
Having three leaves or appearing to
have three. |
| tuber |
A rounded projection or swelling; a
tubercle. |
| tubercle |
A small, rounded projecting part or
outgrowth. |
| tuberiferous |
Having tubers |
| tuberous |
Being or resembling a tuber. |
| tubular |
Hollow, round, open at one or both
ends. |
| umbel |
A cluster of flowers where the
stalks are similar in length and come from a common center (like the rays
of an umbrella). |
| whorled |
Three or more leaves arranged in a
whorl around the stem. |
