Glossary
Showing 50 of 248 terms
- Papillose
- Bearing minute, pimple-like projections.
- Pappus
- In the Asteraceae, the modified calyx, usually consisting of a series of bristles, scales, or teeth.
- Pedicel
- The stem or stalk of an individual flower of an inflorescence or the stalk that supports a spikelet in grasses.
- Peduncle
- The stem or stalk of an inflorescence or a solitary flower.
- Pendent
- Hanging downward, drooping.
- Perennial
- Plant that lives for three or more years, producing leaves and stems each year from rootstock, crown buds, or branches.
- Perfect
- A flower that has both functional stamens and pistils.
- Perfoliate
- The bases of two opposite, sessile leaves are united around the stem so that the stem appears to pass through the leaf.
- Perianth
- The floral envelope, consisting of the calyx and corolla.
- Perigynia
- The inflated, sac-like sheath surrounding the pistil in Carex.
- Petal
- One part of the corolla. Often brightly colored and conspicuous. See drawing of flower parts.
- Petiole
- The stalk of a leaf. See drawing of leaf attachments.
- Petiolule
- The stalk of a leaflet in a compound leaf.
- Phyllaries
- Involucral bracts subtending the flower head in Asteraceae.
- Pilose
- Covered with long, thin, soft, distinct hairs. See pubescence drawings.
- Pinnae
- Primary division of a compound leaf.
- Pinnate
- A compound leaf with the leaflets arranged on both sided of the central axis. Odd pinnately compound leaves have a single leaflet at the end of the central axis. Even pinnately compound leaves have no leaflet terminating the central axis.
- Pinnatifid
- Divided pinnately into segments, but the segments are not distinct leaflets. Not cleft all the way to the rachis.
- Pinnatisect
- Pinnately cleft with sinuses extending nearly to the rachis.
- Pinnule
- Secondary segement of a compound blade.
- Pistil
- The female reproductive (seed-bearing) structure of a flower that receives the pollen. Flowers may have one to several pistils.
- Pistillate
- A flower bearing pistils but no stamens.
- Pleurisy
- Inflammation of the lungs causing a dry cough and painful breathing.
- Pollen
- The dust-like male spores in the anther.
- Pome
- A fleshy fruit of the apple type.
- Poultice
- A soft, moist pulp applied to sores and inflamed areas.
- Prickle
- Small, sharp spinelike outgrowth on the surface of a plant.
- Primocane
- In the genus Rubus, the first-year growth of a biennial stem that bears only leaves.
- Prostrate
- Lying flat on the surface of the ground. See drawing of stem forms.
- Proximal
- Situated near the point of attachment.
- Pubescent
- Covered with short soft hairs.
- Raceme
- A simple, elongated inflorescence with stalked (pediceled) flowers. See drawing of inflorescence types.
- Racemose
- A raceme-like branch of the inflorescence.
- Rachis
- The central axis of a spike or raceme inflorescence or pinnately compound leaf.
- Resinous
- Producing or containing a sticky secretion or sap.
- Retrorsely
- Bent or pointed downward, toward the base.
- Retuse
- A shallow notch at the rounded apex. See leaf apex drawings.
- Revolute
- Rolled backward, toward the lower side.
- Rhizome
- An elongated, underground, horizontal stem. See drawing of parts of a grass plant.
- Root
- The underground part of a plant that absorbs water, obtains and stores nutrients, and provides anchoring support in the soil.
- Rosette
- A circular and often flattened cluster of basal leaves radiating from a common point.
- Sagittate
- Arrowhead-shaped, with the basal lobes pointing downward or toward the petiole or stem.
- Salverform
- A slender-tubed corolla that expands at the top into a flat portion. See flower shape drawings.
- Scabrous
- Rough to the touch. Feels like sandpaper.
- Scape
- Leafless stalk arising from the ground or a basal whorl of leaves and bearing one or more flowers.
- Scarious
- Thin, dry, membranous, and somewhat translucent.
- Schizocarp
- A dry fruit that seperates into indehiscent, 1-seeded segments called mericarps.
- Scientific Names
- There are three parts to a plant's scientific name. The first part is the "genus", which is determined by similarities in morphology, flowering characteristics, or genetic relationships. The second part of the scienctific name is the "epithet". The genus and specific epithet together provide the name of the species. Species are also determined by similarities in morphology, flowering characteristics, or genetic relationships. The third part of the scientific name is the "authority". This is the person first credited with naming and describing the plant. Authorities appearing in parentheses had their work revised by a later plant taxonomist whose name follows. Sometimes species are divided into varieties, which is denoted by the abbreviation "var.". A scientific name that is no longer accepted is called a "synonym". Synonyms are indicated by an equal sign.
- Secund
- Directed to one side.
- Sedge
- A grass-like plant with a triangular stem often growing in wet areas. See drawing of plant group characteristics.