GLOSSARY OF BOTANICAL TERMS

ACHENE A one-seeded fruit, or part of a compound fruit, seen in the Buttercup and Clematis. Does not open when ripe, and, unlike a seed, shows remnants of style or stigma at the apex.

ANTHER Bag containing pollen.

APPRESSED (or Adpressed) Rising, as a leaf, parallel and close to the stem. Applied to hairs which lie close against stem, etc.

AXIL Angle formed by leaf or bract with stem or branch; or by branch with stem.

BIPINNATIFID Doubly divided in a feather-like manner.

BRACT An irregularly developed leaf growing from the flower stalk beneath the flower.

CALYX Row of floral leaves cupping the remainder of the flower.

CARPELS Modified leaves bearing seeds and forming the seed vessel.

CORDATE Heart-shaped.

COROLLA The inner row of floral leaves, either separate or joined together.

CORYMB collective flower formation, in which the flower stalks are of differing lengths, but each rises to the same level, outer flowers being the first to open.

CRENATE Applied to leaves which have notched or scalloped edges.

CRENULATE Having very small notches or scallops at the margins.

CYME An inflorescence in which the central flower opens first, e.g. Elder.

DECURRENT Extending in a direction downward from the point of insertion.

FLEXUOS Curving, winding.

FLORETS (or Flowerlets) A little flower forming part of an aggregate one. Applied particularly to the central flowers in the flowerheads of the Compositen.

GLAUCOUS Covered with a sea-green coloured bloom.

IN VOLUCRE A group or ring of bracts.

LABIATE Applied to an irregular, monopetalous corolla.

LAMINATE Composed of thin layers.

LANCEOLATE OVal, with tapering ends.

LENTICELs Corky developments of the breathing pores of leaf, bark, etc.

LINEAR Slender.

LYRATE Lyre-shaped ; said of pinnatifid leaves where the terminal lobe is rounded, and larger than the others.

OBOVATE Inversely ovate.

OVARY The fruit containing seeds.

OvATE Egg-shaped.

OVOID Nearly egg-shaped.

OVULE An embryo seed.

PANICLE An inflorescence of which the first branches themselves branch, the outside flowers of each branch being the first to open.

PAPILLAE Small protuberances, sometimes threadlike.

PAPPUS A feathery, hairy calyx.

PEDUNCLE Flower stalk.

PETIOLE Leaf stalk.

PINNATE Cleft in a feather-like way to the midrib.

PINNATIFID Divided about half-way to the midrib or rachis in a feather-like manner.

RACEME A form of inflorescence, as in the Currant, in which the flowers grow from a central stem, on branch- lets of equal length, the lowest flower opening first.

RADICAL Proceeding immediately from root or rootstock.

RECURVED (or Recurvate) Curved or bowed downward.

REVOLUTE Rolled back at the edges.

RHIZOME A more or less underground, creeping stem, which sends out shoots above and roots below.

RHOMBOID Shaped as a rhomb.

ROTATE Wheel-shaped.

SEPAL A division of the calyx, corresponding with "petal."

SERRATE Obliquely toothed as a saw.

SESSILE Stalkless.

SPATULATE Shaped as a spatula, or flattened spoon.

STAMEN The male organ of a flower.

STRIATE (or Striated) Streaked with fine parallel or wavy lines.

STROBILE A catkin, the carpels of which are scale-like as in the pines.

STYLE The middle, thread-like portion of the female organ of a flower.

TERNATE Applied to a leaf divided into three segments.

THALLUS The flat, branching growth of mosses and lichens.

TRIFID Nearly cleft into three segments.

TRIFOLIATE With three distinct leaflets as Clover.

TRUNCATE Appearing as though cut off at the tip.

UMBEL An aggregate of flowers, the stalks of which all proceed from a single point and are of equal length, the outer flowers opening first.

WHORL An arrangement of a number of leaves or flowers around a stem, on the same level with each other.