Native Plants
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. | |
Bark | Tough outer covering of trunks or stems of trees, shrubs, and vines. | |
Basal leaves | The leaves that are concentrated near the base of the main stem. | |
Beard | A tuft or line of hairs, as on certain petals. | |
Berry | A fleshy, indehiscent fruit with few to many seeds. | |
Biennial | A plant that takes two years to complete the flowering cycle. Typically it grows vegetatively the first year and flowers and fruits during the second year before dying. | |
Bilateral symmetry | Usually referencing flower structure, descripes a plant part or parts that may be divided along a single plane forming two mirror-image halves; zygomorphic, irregular flower. | |
Bipinnate | Twice-pinnate. | |
Bisexual | A flower with both stamens and pistils. | |
Bract | A reduced or modified leaf occurring at the base of a flower or group of flowers. Bracts are sometimes arranged in rows, like shingles on a roof, usually closely cupping the blossoms of Asteraceae (Sunflower Family); cf. Phyllary. Sometimes brightly colored or petallike, as in Castilleja spp. (paintbrush), or threadlike, as in Daucus carota (Queen Anne's Lace). | |
Branchlet | A small branch. | |
Bristly | Having stiff, rigid, rather thick hairs on the surface of stems or leaves. | |
Bud | A small cell-mass in the process of dividing from a stem to form a flower, leaf or another stem. | |
Bulb | A thick, rounded, underground organ consisting of layered, fleshy leaves and membranes. | |
Cactus/Succulent | A plant having leaves and/or stems which are thick and fleshy. | |
Calyx | The sepals taken collectively. These may be distinct, or joined to form a cup or tube; they may be of any color but are usually green. When the calyx is present, it encloses the other parts of the flower in bud. | |
Campanulate | Bell-shaped. | |
Capitulescence | The inflorescence of a capitulum-bearing plant as in many species in Asteraceae. | |
Capitulum | An inflorescence composed of multiple florets arranged in a flower head and surrounded by an involucre of bracts as found on many species in Asteraceae. | |
Capsule | A dry fruit that splits open along three or more lines. | capsule.jpg |
Caryopsis | A dry, one-seeded fruit (achene) with ovary wall united to the seed coat, characteristic of grasses. | |
Catkin | A spikelike flower cluster that bears scaly bracts and petalless, unisexual flowers. | |
Caudate | Tapering gradually into a long taillike tip | |
Clasping | Leaf partially encircles the stem. | |
Complete flower | A flower with sepals, petals, stamens, and pistil present. | |
Compound | A leaf divided into two or more leaflets. | |
Compound leaf | A leaf that is completely separated into two or more leaflets. | |
Compound Pistil | A pistil made up of two or more partially or completely united carpels. | |
Cordate | Heart-shaped, with the point at the apex. | |
Cork | Bark tissue that is harvested for commercial use. | cork.jpg |
Corm | A short, fleshy underground stem, broader than high, producing stems from the base and leaves and flower stems from the top. | |
Corolla | The petals collectively; usually colored or showy. These may be distinct or united to form a cup, trumpet, tube, or two-lipped body. | |
Corymb | A flat-topped or convex flower cluster, with the lower or outer stems longer; the flowers on these stems open first. | |
Crenate | Having rounded teeth along the margin. | |
Culm | The hollow stem of grasses and bamboos. | |
Cuneate | Leaf shape narrowly triangular, wider at the apex and tapering toward the base. | |
Cuspidate | Tipped with a sharp firm point. | |
Cyme | A usually flattish inflorescence in which the central or terminal flower matures first. | |
Deciduous | Having leaves that all fall off at the end of the growing season, or at least wither up and become lifeless. | |
Decumbent | Lying on the ground but having an ascending tip. | |
Deltoid | Triangular. | |
Dentate | Sharply toothed, with the teeth pointing straight out from the margin. | |
Denticulate | Finely toothed. | |
Dioecious | With male and female reproductive structures on separate plants. | |
Disc flowers | The inner tubular flowers on the heads of Asteraceae (Sunflower Family). | |
Distal | Toward the top of a plant or the tip of a plant part. Cf, Proximal. | |
Diurnal | Open during the day and closed at night. | |
Drupe | Fruit with exocarp or skin, fleshy mesocarp and hardened endocarp with seed inside. | |
Elliptic | Shaped like an ellipse, resembling a flattened circle. | |
Emarginate | Having a shallow notch at the tip. | |
EMP | Eastern Mountains and Piedmont - NWPL Region | |
Endangered | An animal or plant species in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. | |
Endemic | Occurring naturally only in a single geographic area. | |
Entire | Said of margins without teeth or lobes. | |
Escape | A cultivated plant that has gone wild. | |
Evergreen | Remaining green and leafy through the winter. | |
FAC | Facultative - Hydrophyte. Occurs in wetlands and non-wetlands. | |
FAC* | Facultative - Hydrophyte. Occurs in wetlands and non-wetlands. Occurs only in the South Pacific Islands subregion. | |
FACU | Facultative Upland - Nonhydrophyte. Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but may occur in wetlands. | |
FACU* | Facultative Upland - Nonhydrophyte. Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but may occur in wetlands. Occurs only in the South Pacific Islands subregion. | |
FACW | Facultative Wetland - Hydrophyte. Usually occurs in wetlands, but may occur in non-wetlands. | |
FACW* | Facultative Wetland - Hydrophyte. Usually occurs in wetlands, but may occur in non-wetlands. Occurs only in the South Pacific Islands subregion. | |
Falcate | Sickle-shaped. | |
Fascicled | In a tight bundle, several leaves appearing to arise from a common point. | |
Fern | Any of numerous flowerless and seedless vascular plants (pteridophytes) having true roots from a rhizome and fronds that uncurl upward; reproduce by spores. | |
Fibrous | Network of fine roots with no central dominant root. | |
Filament | Stalk of stamen; bears the anther. | |
Floret | A small flower, especially one in a dense cluster. | |
Florets | Small or reduced flowers. | |
Flower head | A dense arrangement of flowers arising from a common point, as in Apiaceae, or as in Asteraceae where many ray flowers and/or disc flowers make up one "flower head." See also, Capitulum. | |
FNA | Flora of North America. | |
Follicle | Dry, dehiscent fruit. | |
Frond | The leaf of a fern. | |
Fruit | The seed-bearing part of a plant. | |
Genus | A group of related species classified within a family. | |
Glabrous | Smooth; hairless. | |
term | definition | image |