| Botanical Terms | Description |
|---|---|
| A | |
| abaxial | The lower surface of a leaf |
| adaxial | the upper surface of a leaf |
| adnate | a fusion of different parts, e.g. stamens to the corolla |
| alternate | borne singly at each node and along the axis |
| androecium | a collective term for the stamens in a flower |
| annual |
a plant which completes its life cycle within one year or one growing season
|
| anther | the part of the stamen containing the pollen |
| apex | the distal end, tip, the highest point of attachment |
| aril | an appendage growing at or near the hilum of a seed |
| axil |
the angle between the stem and the leaf, e.g. a branch and a leaf
|
| B | |
| base | the point of attachment of any organ |
| berry |
a fleshy or pulpy indehiscent fruit with several to many seeds developing from a single pistil
|
| biennial |
a plant with a life cycle of two years from seedling stage to maturity, seed-set and then dying
|
| bilobed | divided into two lobes |
| bisexual |
having both sexes (stamens and pistils) in the same flower, or in the same inflorescence
|
| bole | the unbranched part of the trunk of a tree |
| bract | a modified leaf-like structure at the base of a flower ora modified leaf-like structure at the base of a flower or inflorescence |
| bud | a meristem (apical or lateral) in the early development ora meristem (apical or lateral) in the early development or resting stages |
| bulb | a modified underground storage organ with thickened fleshy modified underground storage organ with thickened fleshy scales, e.g. the onion |
| buttress | supporting outgrowth at the base of a tree |
|
C
|
|
| calyx | collective term for sepals |
| campanulate | bell-shaped |
| canopy | the uppermost layer of vegetation or branches of the tree uppermost layer of vegetation or branches of the trees usually in a forest |
| capitate | flowers growing together in a head-like or in head-shaped flowers growing together in a head-like or in a head-shaped cluster |
| capitulum | a small flower head in a dense cluster |
| capsule | a dry, dehiscent fruit composed of more united carpels |
| carpel | a female reproductive organ that bears ovules in angiosperms |
| compound | with two or more like parts in one organ |
| corolla | collective term for petals |
| cyme | a flower cluster with the pedicels of equal length and the central flower matured first |
| D | |
| deciduous | falling off, shedding all its leaves from a tree, not evergreen |
| dehiscent | breaking open at maturity to release the contents (of a fruit breaking open at maturity to release the contents (of a fruit capsule or anther) |
| dentate | prominently toothed along the margin with sharp, spreading prominently toothed along the margin with sharp, spreading symmetrical projections pointing outwards |
| dicotyledonous | with two cotyledons |
| dioecious | flowers imperfect, having male and female flowers on flowers imperfect, having male and female flowers on different plants |
| distinct | separate, not attached to mutual parts |
| divergent | diverging or spreading |
| distichous | in two opposite rows, one on each side of the stem |
| drupe | a fleshy indehiscent fruit with the seed enclosed in a stony fleshy indehiscent fruit with the seed enclosed in a stony endocarp, e.g. peach or cherry |
| duct | Tan elongated tube |
| E | |
| edentate | without teeth |
| ellipsoid | The 3-dimensional shape of an ellipse-shaped almost like a stretched circle, circular in cross-section, widest in the middle and tapering to each end |
| embryo | the immature plant within a seed |
| endocarp | the inner layer of the pericarp of a fruit wall |
| entire | Not toothed, notched or divided, usually referring to aleaf margin |
| epidermis | the outermost layer of cells |
| epigynous | with stamens, petals |
| erect | vertical, upright, not declining or spreading |
| evergreen | retaining green leaves or other organs throughout the year |
| exocarp | the outer layer of the pericarp of a fruit wall |
| F | |
| fascicle | a tight bundle or compact cluster, arising from a more or less tight bundle or compact cluster, arising from more or less the same point |
| fertile | capable of bearing seeds or pollens |
| fibrous | bearing or resembling fibers |
| filament | a thread-like structure, the stalk of the stamen which supports a thread-like structure, the stalk of the stamen which supports the anther |
| fleshy | thick and pulpy, succulent with high water content |
| floret | an individual small flower within a dense cluster of an individual small flower within a dense cluster of inflorescence |
| flower | the reproductive part of a plant |
| free | not attached or fused to other organs |
| fruit | a ripened, matured ovary or seed-bearing organ, with ora ripened, matured ovary or seed-bearing organ, with or without adnate parts |
| fusiform | spindle-shaped, thick in the middle but narrowly tapering spindle-shaped, thick in the middle but narrowly tapering towards both ends |
| G | |
| gall | an abnormal growth caused by insects, parasite, or fungus |
| gametophyte | a type of plant that produces gametes (eggs and/or sperm) |
| genome | a complete chromosome set |
| girth | the circumference of a tree bole |
| glabrous | smooth, without hair |
| gland | a secretory area or other structure on the surface, either a secretory area or other structure on the surface, either embedded or ending with hair that produces a sticky or oily substance |
| globose | globe-shaped, spherical |
| glume | the bracts usually occurring in pairs, at the base of a grass the bracts usually occurring in pairs, at the base of a grass spikelet |
| grain | a small, seed-like structure |
| granule | a small grain |
| H | |
| habit | the general appearance of vegetation, characteristics form, or the general appearance of vegetation, characteristics form, or mode of growth of a plant |
| hastate | arrowhead-shaped, leaf base with two triangular lobes arrowhead-shaped, leaf base with two triangular lobes pointed outward rather than downward |
| head | a short dense cluster of sessile or subsessile inflorescence |
| helicoid | spiraling, coiled like a helix or spring |
| herbaceous | with the characteristics of herb, not woody, having the texture with the characteristics of herb, not woody, having the texture of a leaf |
| hermaphrodite | bisexual plant with stamens and pistils in the same flower, bisexual plant with stamens and pistils in the same flower, perfect flower |
| hilum | a scar on a seed indicating its attachment point to the scar on a seed indicating its attachment point to the placenta |
| hirsute | pubescent with coarse, stiff, curving hairs |
| horn | an elongated cone or tapering projection, but often curved |
| hypanthium | a cup-shaped extension of tissue in a flower formed from the cup-shaped extension of tissue in a flower formed from the union of the basal parts of the sepals, petals, and stamens, commonly surrounding the pistils |
| I | |
| imparipinnate | odd-pinnate, unequally pinnate |
| imperfect | unisexual with either stamens or pistils, but not both |
| indehiscent | not splitting open at maturity along definite lines |
| inflorescence | the flowering part of a plant, or the arrangement of a flower cluster on the flowering axis |
| infructescence | the arrangement of fruits on a stem |
| innate | borne at the apex, as an anther at the apex of the filament |
| internode | the part of the stem between two nodes |
| intramarginal | within or near the margin |
| involucre | a whorl of bracts which are modified leaflets, subtending at whorl of bracts which are modified leaflets, subtending at the base flower or flower cluster |
| irregular | asymmetrical, which all parts of the flower are different in size asymmetrical, which all parts of the flower are different in size or shape |
| J | |
| joint | the section where an organ can bend, often swollen and the section where an organ can bend, often swollen and eventually break off, more commonly termed a node |
| jointed | having nodes of apparent articulation |
| jugate | joined parts in pairs, e.g. leaflets of a pinnate leaf |
| juvenile | young, early form |
| junciform | rush-like in form or appearance |
| K | |
| keel | a narrow, prominent longitudinal ridge sticking out from a narrow, prominent longitudinal ridge sticking out from the rounded surfaces, like the bottom of a boat hull |
| kingdom | a division or classification as in the plant kingdom |
| knee | a joint like a stem of a grass |
| knee root | breathing root where a loop of horizontal root formed at low breathing root where a loop of horizontal root formed at low tide |
| keiki | a plant produced asexually, usually of orchids as a distal plant produced asexually, usually of orchids as a distalvegetative branch of the main stem as in orchids, which will grow roots |
| dichotomous key | plant identification method using opposing choices |
| L | |
| label | one segment of a compound leaf |
| labellum | lip-shaped petal of an orchid blossom |
| lamella | thin plate, membrane; forming part of the corona |
| lamina | blade of leaves or petals |
| lateral | borne on or at the side of the margin |
| latex | a sticky texture like a milky sap |
| laticifer | a tube containing latex |
| lax | loose part, open and not compact arrangement |
| leader | the terminal part of a shoot or branch |
| leaflet | a part of a compound leaf |
| leaf scar | the mark left on twig or stem of a tree after leaf falls |
| lenticular | lentil-shaped or a 3-dimensional shape that is convex on lentil-shaped or a 3-dimensional shape that is convex onside and circular in section |
| limb | a tree branch; the extended part of a petal or leaf |
| linear | a long, narrow line parallel to margins |
| lobe | a rounded part or division of an organ |
| locule | separate cavity or chamber of an organ such as in ovary |
| M | |
| macrophyll | refer to leaf size which is relatively large and expanded |
| margin | the edge of the leaf blade |
| megaspore | spores that produce female gametophytes which produce spores that produce female gametophytes which produce egg cells |
| membranous | thin and soft membrane-like |
| mesophyll | part of leaf tissue found between upper and lower epidermis part of leaf tissue found between upper and lower epidermis of the leaf section |
| microphyll | a very short, small, narrow, single-veined leaf |
| microspore | spore that produces male gametophyte in some ferns |
| membrane | thin, film-like, flexible and often translucent |
| morphology | a study of the form and appearance of an organism |
| monoecious | staminate and pistillate flowers borne on the same plant |
| mericarp | part of the fruit that contains seed and not forming a single unit |
| meristem | dividing tissue at the growing tips of shoots and roots |
| midrib | central or primary vein of a leaf or another organ |
| mesocarp | the middle layer of the pericarp of fruit with the fleshy or succulent middle layer of the pericarp of fruit with the fleshy or succulent part |
| mucronate | tipped with a short and sharp point |
| N | |
| natant | floating in water |
| numerous | many, more than ten |
| necrotic | dead plant tissues that darken the plant |
| nectar | sticky, sweet fluid secreted by plants usually to attract sticky, sweet fluid secreted by plants usually to attract pollinators |
| nectary | the organ that produces nectar |
| nerve | simple vein or rib of a leaf |
| neuter | no stamens or pistils, sexless |
| nocturnal | active at night |
| node | the area of attachment of leaves or branches on the stem |
| nodule | a swelling shape |
| nothotaxon | unit of classification for hybrids |
| nut | indehiscent fruit usually hard and dry |
| nyctanthous | flowering at night |
| nyctigamous | opening at night |
| nyctitropic | movement or plant parts positioning that occurs at night |
| o | |
| obligate | restricted to particular conditions, life form or habitat |
| oblique | unequal sides near the base |
| oblong | the shape of longer than breadth with almost parallel sides |
| obovate | shape with the broadest part near the apex |
| ocrea | a tubular stipule sheathing around the stem |
| odd-pinnnate | pinnately compound leaf in a terminal leaflet with an odd number |
| offset | a lateral shoot near the ground, often prostrate |
| opposite | borne on the same node but across from one another |
| organ | any plant part of a plant structure with a specific function |
| ovate | egg-shaped with the wider part below the middle, broad end |
| oblanceolate | shape with attachment at the narrower end |
| ovary | expanded basal portion, the ovule-bearing part of the expanded basal portion, the ovule-bearing part of the gynoecium |
| offshoot | lateral shoot or branch arising from the main stem |
| ovoid | egg-shaped with the broad part below the middle or nearest to egg-shaped with broad part below the middle or nearest to the base |
| ovule | an immature seed in the ovary |
| P | |
| palmate | with parts originating from a common or central point, like with parts originating from a common or central point, like fingers of a hand |
| palmatifid | cut to a palmate form, palmately lobed |
| panicle | a branched, indeterminate flower cluster (inflorescence) with a branched, indeterminate flower cluster (inflorescence) with individual flowers on stalks (pedicels). |
| papillose | covered by many small soft nipple-like projections |
| pedicel | the stalk of an individual flower in an inflorescence |
| peduncle | the stalk of a solitary flower or inflorescence |
| peltate | round and attached at or near the center, shield-shaped |
| perennial | living for three too many years |
| perfect | having both male and female parts |
| perianth | collective term for the calyx and corolla |
| pericarp | the wall of fruit |
| petal | an individual segment of a divided corolla, typically colored |
| petiole | the stalk of a leaf |
| phloem | a conducting tissue which transports food in vascular plants |
| pinnate | a compound leaf divided into a central axis and leaflets |
| pilose | soft hairy with short, straight and thin hairs |
| pistil | female reproductive organ of a flower which consists of female reproductive organ of a flower which consists of ovary, style, and stigma |
| pit | a small hollow or openings in the wall of tracheids and vessela small hollow or openings in the wall of tracheids and vessel elements |
| placenta | the part of the ovary which bears ovules or seeds |
| pod | dry dehiscent fruit which splits open when ripe |
| pollen | powder-like substance produced by male part of a flower,powder-like substance produced by male part of a flower, acts as a fertilising agent |
| prickle | sharp and small thorn or outgrowth from the epidermis |
| procumbent | trailing or lying on the ground, but not rooting at the nodes |
| prominent | standing out or projecting from the surrounding surface, such as standing out or projecting from the surrounding surface, such as raised veins on the surface of a leaf |
| prostrate | lying flat on the ground |
| pseudo- | (prefix) meaning false |
| puberulent | minutely short and fine hairs |
| pubescent | covered with dense, short and soft hair |
| pulverulent | appearing dusty or powdery |
| pungent | tipped with a sharp, rigid point |
| pyrene | the stone or pit of a fruit |
| Q | |
| quadrangular | having four angles |
| quadrate | almost square or rectangular in form |
| quinary | in fives |
| quinquepartite | deeply divided into five parts |
| quoad | to the extent of |
| R | |
| raceme | flower cluster, unbranched and elongated with pedicellateflower cluster, unbranched and elongated with pedicellateflowers maturing from the bottom to terminal |
| rachis | main axis of a structure |
| recumbent | leaning or resting on the ground |
| radiate | with parts spreading from a common centre |
| radicle | primary root which develops from germinating seed |
| remote | distantly spaced |
| reniform | kidney-shaped |
| resinous | bearing resin and often sticky |
| reticulum | a network of veins |
| retuse | with a shallow notch in a round or blunt apex |
| rhizome | a horizontal underground stem consisting of nodes or buds |
| rib | a main longitudinal vein in a structure particularly raised a main longitudinal vein in a structure particularly raised above the surrounding surface |
| rind | a thick, tough, outer covering layer |
| ripe | complete and fully developed, mature |
| root | plant part found underground and usually lacking with nodes plant part found underground and usually lacking with nodes or leaves |
| rosette | a tightly clustered and packed leaves, usually at or near a tightly clustered and packed leaves, usually at or near the ground |
| rotund | nearly round or rounded in the outline |
| rudimentary | non-functional and imperfectly developed |
| rugose | wrinkled |
| runner | a slender stolon or prostrate stem rooting at the nodes or at a slender stolon or prostrate stem rooting at the nodes or at the tip along the surface of the ground |
| S | |
| sac | a bag-shaped compartment or small cavity within an organism |
| sagittate | arrow-head shaped, with the basal acute lobes pointing arrow-head shaped, with the basal acute lobes pointing downward |
| sap | the fluids of a plant |
| sarmentose | with long, thin and slender runners |
| scabrid | roughened with minute stiff hairs |
| scalariform | ladder-like |
| scale | any thin, small, flat, scarious structure, often encloses aflower |
| scape | a leafless peduncle arising from ground |
| scar | a mark left on stem or branch by fallen leaves or fruits |
| scutellum | a small plate-like or shield-like structure |
| seed | a ripened ovule capable to develop into another plant |
| segment | a division of an organ |
| sepal | a segment of a calyx |
| septate | divided by one or more partitions |
| serrate | saw-like teeth along margin pointing towards the apex |
| sessile | attached directly without stalk |
| sheath | a tubular part or organ, as the leaf base of grass surrounds a tubular part or organ, as the leaf base of grass surrounds the stem |
| shoot | a young stem or branch |
| shrub | a woody perennial plant with several stems, smaller than aa woody perennial plant with several stems, smaller than a tree |
| simple | undivided |
| sinuate | with a deep wavy, uneven margin |
| sinuous | of a wavy or serpentine form |
| solitary | single, not borne in a group |
| spathe | a large sheathing bract and often enclosing a flower cluster |
| spike | an unbranched, elongated racemose inflorescence with an unbranched, elongated racemose inflorescence with sessile or subsessile flowers maturing from the bottom upwards |
| spikelet | a small spike or secondary spike |
| spine | a stiff, slender, sharp pointed and hardened structure |
| stalk | supporting structure attached to an organ and the sizesupporting structure attached to an organ and the sizeusually narrower than the organ |
| stamen | the male reproductive structure of a flower, consisting ofthe male reproductive structure of a flower, consisting ofanther and filament |
| stem | plant part above the ground usually consisting of nodes,plant part above the ground usually consisting of nodes,buds, and leaf attachment |
| stipe | a stalk supporting structure |
| stolon | an elongate, horizontal stem creeping along the ground andan elongate, horizontal stem creeping along the ground andgiving rise to a new plant |
| stone | hard, woody endocarp of a drupe |
| style | usually narrowed and slender portion of pistil between theusually narrowed and slender portion of pistil between thestigma and ovary |
| sub- | (prefix) meaning under, slightly or almost |
| succulent | juicy and fleshy plant part as in cactus |
| sucker | shoot arising from underground |
| superior | the ovary part that is attached above the other whorls of floralthe ovary part that is attached above the other whorls of floralpart |
| syncarp | a multiple fruit or aggregate fruit |
| T | |
| tendril | a slender, coiling structure used to grasp support for climbing |
| terete | round in cross section or cylindrical structure |
| testa | the seed coat |
| thorn | a stiff, short woody, modified stem with a sharp point |
| throat | a part of corolla-tube widen into the mouth and apical part ofa part of corolla-tube widen into the mouth and apical part ofcorolla tube is below the mouth |
| thyrse | a mixed inflorescence, compact or ovate panicle of cylindricala mixed inflorescence, compact or ovate panicle of cylindricalform, with main axis indeterminate and cymose at secondaryaxis |
| toothed | dentate |
| trailing | prostrate and creeping on the ground but not rooting |
| trichome | a hair-like, bristle outgrowth of the epidermis |
| truncate | with the apex or base squared at the end as if cut off |
| trunk | the main stem of a tree below the crown branches |
| tuber | the thickened modified part of underground stem bearingthe thickened modified part of underground stem bearing nodes and buds for food storage |
| tufted | arranged in a dense, tight cluster |
| tunic | the outer coating of a seed or bulb consisting of dead leafthe outer coating of a seed or bulb consisting of dead leafbases |
| twig | a small shoot or branch from a tree |
| twining | coiling or spiraling around another structure as support forcoiling or spiraling around another structure as support fo rclimbing |
| U | |
| umbel | inflorescence which forms a flat-topped surface with theinflorescence which forms a flat-topped surface with thepedicels arising more or less from a common point |
| umbo | a small blunt or rounded protuberance |
| unarmed | lacking spine, prickle or thorn |
| uncinate | hooked at the tip |
| unifoliate | with a single leaf |
| unilateral | inflorescence with the flowers all on one side of the axis |
| uniseriate | arranged in a single horizontal row or series |
| unisexual | a flower with either male or female reproductive organs, buta flower with either male or female reproductive organs, butnot both |
| urn | the basal portion of a pyxis |
| V | |
| valve | one of the segments of a dehiscent fruit, splitting of a capsuleone of the segments of a dehiscent fruit, splitting of a capsulewhen matured |
| variegated | marked with the patches or spots of variety of colors |
| vascular | conductive tissue of xylem and phloem |
| vegetative | of or pertaining to the non-floral parts of a plant |
| vein | a vascular bundle, usually visible on a surface, as in leaves |
| vermiform | worm-shaped |
| vertical | positioned in the direction perpendicular to the horizontalpositioned in the direction perpendicular to the horizontalsurface |
| vesicle | a small bladder-like structure or cavity |
| vessel | a conducting structure of the xylem to transport water |
| villous | bearing long, soft, weak hairs |
| vine | a climbing or trailing plant with small stem diametre, not selfsupporting |
| viscid | sticky or gummy |
| W | |
| wart | a small, hard and firm protuberance |
| weed | an aggressive plant which colonises disturbed habitats |
| whorl | a ring-like arrangement of similar organs borne from aa ring-like arrangement of similar organs borne from acommon point |
| wing | a thin margin and flat extension structure |
| winged | possessing wings |
| woolly | with long, soft, entangled hairs |
| X | |
| xanthic | yellowish |
| xanthophyll | yellow, orange or red fat-soluble pigments |
| xerophyte | a plant adapted to grow in dry environment |
| xeromorphic | possessing obvious physical adaptations for a drypossessing obvious physical adaptations for a dryenvironment |
| xylem | the conducting tissue of vascular plants which transportsthe conducting tissue of vascular plants which transportswater and some nutrients |
| Z | |
| zonate | marked or coloured in circular rings or zones |
| zygomorphic | having only one plane of symmetry that produce a mirrorhaving only one plane of symmetry that produce a mirrorimage on either side |
