Native Plants
Botanical Glossary
Glossary of commonly used botanical terms and their definitions.
| term | definition | image |
| Acaulescent | Without a distinct stem. | |
| Achene | A dry, usually one-seeded, indehiscent fruit. | |
| Acorn | A usually one-seeded (occasionally two-seeded) nut enclosed in a hard, leathery shell and subtended by a scaly cup. The fruit of any species in the genera, Quercus or Lithocarpus. | |
| Actinomorphic | Refers to flowers that can be divided into equal halves along any axis (radially symmetric). | |
| Acuminate | Gradually tapering to a point. | |
| Acute | Pointed apex with margins that form an angle between 45 and 90 degrees. | |
| AGCP | Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain - NWPL Region | |
| Aggregate | Fruit developed from multiple pistils in a single flower, e.g. raspberry (Rubus spp.). | |
| Alternate | Placed singly at different heights on the stem; not opposite or whorled. | alternate.jpg |
| Androecium | Collective term for the stamens of one flower. | |
| Anemophilous | Wind pollinated. | |
| Annual | A species that grows from seed, flowers, fruits and dies within one year's time. See also, Winter Annual. | |
| Anther | The specialized, pollen-bearing structure of a plant's flower. | |
| Apex | The topmost or distal portion of a plant or plant part. | |
| Apical | Situated at or near the tip. | |
| Apiculate | Ending abruptly with a sharp, flexible tip. | |
| Appressed | Pressed or lying flat against something. | |
| Areole | A spot in the form of a pit or a raised area on the surface of a cactus through which spines or other structures grow. | |
| Aril | An outer covering or appendage of some seeds. | |
| Aristate | Ending in a stiff, bristle-like point. | |
| Asymmetric | Lacking symmetry, e.g., the two halves of a leaf blade not alike. | |
| Attenuate | A tapering leaf base with concave margins that form an angle less than 45 degrees. | |
| AW | Arid West - NWPL Region | |
| Axil | The upper angle between two structures or organs, as where a leaf or branch joins the stem. | |
| Axillary | Growing from an axil. | |
| term | definition | image |