Native Plants
Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?
BOTANICAL GLOSSARY
Glossary of commonly used botanical terms and their definitions. Use the search bar below to look up a botanical term.
15 Random Botanical Terms
Reniform - Kidney-shaped.
Stolon - A horizontal above ground stem.
Wing - A thin extension of a plant part, as of a branch or dry fruit.
Complete flower - A flower with sepals, petals, stamens, and pistil present.
Herb - A plant species lacking woody tissue when mature.
Bud - A small cell-mass in the process of dividing from a stem to form a flower, leaf or another stem.
Cuneate - Leaf shape narrowly triangular, wider at the apex and tapering toward the base.
Cyme - A usually flattish inflorescence in which the central or terminal flower matures first.
Raceme - An inflorescence in which each flower is attached to the main stalk by a short stem (pedicel). The youngest flowers, at the tip, may continue to develop while those below are forming fruit.
Lanceolate - Having the shape of a spear-head or lance.
Stipule - A basal appendage of the petiole; usually in pairs. Varies in shape and may be minute and hairlike or stiff and sharp, or like segments of the leaf blade.
Annual - A species that grows from seed, flowers, fruits and dies within one year's time. See also, Winter Annual.
Regular flower - A flower equal in size, form, and union of its similar parts; radially symmetrical. Example: Solanaceae (Potato Family).
Actinomorphic - Refers to flowers that can be divided into equal halves along any axis (radially symmetric).
Obcordate - Inversely cordate, heart-shaped with petiole attached to point.