Native Plants
Botanical Glossary
Glossary of commonly used botanical terms and their definitions.
| term | definition | image |
| Rhizobium | Soil-borne bacteria which form nitrogen-rich root nodules. | |
| Rhizome | A horizontal underground stem. | |
| Rib (of cactus) | A ridge; a raised surface running vertically or sometimes spiraling, and bearing areoles in a row along its summit. Often thought of as being composed of more or less united tubercles which may be evident as bulging masses along it. | |
| Rosette | An arrangement of leaves radiating from the stem at a nearly common level, frequently at or just above the ground line. | |
| Runcinate | Leaf having incised margins with the lobes or teeth curved toward the base. | |
| Sagittate | Shaped like an arrowhead. | |
| Samara | A dry, winged, one-seeded fruit. | |
| Sap | Watery fluid that circulates through a plant carrying sugars, minerals and nutrients. | |
| Scabrous | Rough to the touch. | |
| Scape | A naked flower stem rising from the ground. | |
| term | definition | image |