Glossary
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Letter: A
Showing 21 of 21 terms starting with "A"
- Abaxial
- The surface or portion of a lateral structure away from the bearing axis; the lower surface
- Achene
- Small, dry, one-seeded fruit. See drawing of fruits.
- Acuminate
- Gradually tapering to a sharp point. See leaf apex drawings.
- Acute
- Abruptly terminating in a sharp point. Less tapering than acuminate, i.e. at a sharper angle. See leaf apex drawings.
- Adaxial
- The surface or portion of a lateral structure toward the bearing axis; the upper surface
- Aerole, Areola
- 1. small space on a surface, usually in reference to a space bounded by veinlets on a leaf surface; 2. small, spine-bearing area on a cactus.
- Alternate
- Leaves placed singly one above the other, usually on alternate sides of the stem. See drawing of leaf arrangements.
- Annual
- A plant that lives only one year or season. The plant must grow from seed each year.
- Anther
- The part of the stamen which contains pollen. See drawing of flower parts.
- Anthesis
- Flowering, or the point in time when pollination takes place.
- Antrorse
- Directed upward or toward the apex.
- Apiculate
- Ending in a small, flexible, short-pointed tip. See leaf apex drawings.
- Arachnoid
- Resembling a spiderweb or cobweb.
- Aril
- An appendage growing on a seed in the area of the hilum.
- Arillate
- Having an aril.
- Aristate
- Possessing a long, narrow apex or apex with a short awn or bristle .
- Ascending
- Sloping or angled upward. See drawing of stem forms.
- Attenuate
- Gradually narrowing to a long, slender point, more extreme than acuminate.
- Auricle
- Small ear-like projections. Found at the junction of the blade and the sheath in grasses. See drawing of parts of a grass plant.
- Awn
- A slender, stiff, bristle-like extension of a plant part, such as the beard on wheat. See drawing of parts of a grass plant.
- Axil
- The angle formed between two plant parts. Usually refers to the upper angle between a leaf and stem.