Botanical Terms Glossary Flashcards

A complete set of botanical vocabulary flashcards derived verbatim from the provided glossary transcript.

Alternate

The arrangement of parts placed singly at different levels on an axis, as leaves on a twig; not opposite.

Anther

The terminal and pollen-bearing part of a stamen.

Axil

The upper angle formed between a leaf, vein, branch etc. and the axis from which it originates.

Axillary

Situated in an axil.

Blade

The expanded, usually flattish, more or less broad portion of a leaf.

Bloom

A whitish or bluish deposit, as on the surface of certain leaves and fruits etc.

Bloomy

Having bloom.

Bract

A more or less modified leaf, usually situated at the base of a flower stalk or flower cluster.

Calyx

The outermost group of floral parts, usually green; a collective name for the sepals whether separate or fused.

Cane

A long, woody, pliable stem rising from the ground.

Capsule

A dry fruit, originating from a compound ovary, which splits along $2$ or more lines.

Catkin

A cylindrical, usually unisexual, flower cluster in which each flower is usually stalkless, without petals and borne in the axil of a scaly-bract.

Chambered

Pertaining to pith which consists of more or less closely spaced cross partitions separating air chambers.

Clawed

Pertaining to a petal, sepal etc. which has a narrow, stalk-like base.

Clone

A group of plants all members of which have been derived from a single individual by means of asexual propagation (by buds, cuttings etc.).

Compound

Composed of $2$ or more similar parts as a leaf composed of several expanded portions or a flower cluster with the stalk dividing into secondary or tertiary stalks.

Corolla

A collective name for the petals whether separate or fused; the inner floral leaves as contrasted with the calyx.

Diaphragm

A cross-partition at the leaf-joints of hollow or pithy stems or branches.

Doubled

Pertaining to teeth which bear one or more smaller teeth.

Double Flower

One with twice or many times the normal number of petals as for instance a rose having many petals as contrasted with a species rose which normally has only $5$.

Elliptic

Resembling an ellipse.

Ellipsoidal

A $3$ dimensional form of the ellipse.

Entire

Pertaining to an uninterrupted margin; without teeth or other divisions such as lobes.

Female Flower

A flower bearing at least one ovary but without stamens (rarely with abortive stamens).

Female Plant

A plant with only female flowers.

Filament

The stalk of an anther, usually, but not always, distinct and thread-like.

Gland

A secreting organ which is embedded in a surface, mounted on a stalk, or which tips a hair or tooth; any small swelling resembling such an organ.

Glandular

Furnished with glands.

Hip

The fruit of a rose.

Hybrid

A plant resulting from a cross between two or more parents that are more or less unlike.

Joint

A place upon the twig which bears or has borne a leaf or bud.

Lanceolate

Shaped like the head of a lance; broadest below or about the middle and several times as long as wide; narrower than ovate.

Leaf

Distinguished from a leaflet by having a bud in its axil at all seasons except for a short period in May or early June immediately after expansion and by forming a well defined scar on the twig when it is removed as a unit.

Leaflet

A division of a leaf blade which is divided into two or more separate expanded portions, each with its own stalk or independent base; as distinguished from a leaf, they never have buds in their axils and when pulled off do not leave a well defined scar.

Leaf Scar

A mark on a twig indicating the point where a leaf was once attached.

Linear

A number of times longer than wide; proportionately very narrow with approximately parallel sides.

Lip

Either of the two parts (upper and lower) into which the corolla of certain plants is divided.

Lobe

One of the more or less large segments of a margin which is so divided that the recesses do not reach the midrib; there is no hard and fast distinction between small lobes and large teeth.

Male Flower

A flower bearing stamens but without ovaries (rarely with abortive ovaries).

Male Plant

A plant with only male flowers.

Margin

The edge of a leaf.

Oblanceolate

Similar to lanceolate, with the broad area towards the apex.

Oblong

Longer than broad, and with the sides nearly parallel.

Obovate

Similar to ovate, with the broad area towards the apex.

Obovoid

The $3$ dimensional form of obovate; pear-shaped.

Opposite

Arising in pairs from the same level, but on opposite sides.

Orbicular

Circular in outline or nearly so.

Ovary

The part of the flower in which the seeds will be formed and usually occurring at the flower's center; more than one may be present.

Ovate

Having a basic outline like a hen's egg, and widest below the middle.

Ovoid

The $3$ dimensional form of ovate; egg-shaped.

Palmate

The arrangement of parts which arise from the same or approximately the same point and spread outwards somewhat like the fingers of a hand.

Persistent

Remaining attached in a live or dead condition; not falling off for a somewhat long period of time as leaves attached over winter.

Petal

One of the separate modified leaves (often bright colored) forming the inner grouping of leaf-like parts of a flower; in a complete flower they are next to and surround the stamens; a division of the corolla.

Pinnate

The arrangement of parts which arise like the divisions of a feather or herring bone; pertaining to compound leaves where the separate leaflets are arranged on either side of the leaf stalk; if the leaflets themselves are divided into secondary leaflets, the leaf is $2$-pinnate.

Pith

The central portion of a twig or branch which is usually lighter or darker than the wood which surrounds it.

Pod

Any dry, splitting fruit which resembles that of the pea or bean.

Polygonal

Many angled and sided.

Primary

First in order in any series, sequence etc.; a primary vein is a main vein arising from the midrib and which itself may have branches which are secondary veins.

Reniform

Kidney-shaped.

Rhombic

With $4$ nearly equal sides, but with unequal angles; diamond-shaped.

Scale

A thin, dry, membranaceous, usually appressed body such as occurs on leaf surfaces or buds etc.; a flake of bark.

Scurf

Any scaly matter or incrustation on a surface.

Secondary

Next after the first in order, such as the branch of a primary vein.

Sepal

One of the separate modified leaves (usually green) forming the outer grouping of leaf-like parts of a flower; a division of the calyx.

Simple

Not divided into separate parts; not branched; not compound.

Single Flower

One with a normal number of petals as, for instance, a species rose with $5$ petals as contrasted with a rose which has many.

Sinuate

With a strongly wavy margin.

Sinus

The recess between two lobes.

Solitary

Alone by itself; not in a cluster.

Spatulate

Having a broad, rounded end and gradually narrowing to the base; narrower than obovate.

Stalk

The basal supporting part of a leaf, flower or fruit.

Stalklet

The basal supporting part of a leaflet.

Stamen

The pollen bearing organ of a flower, consisting of the filament and the anther.

Stem

A supporting woody member of a shrub or vine which rises from the ground.

Stigma

The part of the female organ of a flower which receives the pollen; the often sticky, feathery or spongy extreme outer end of the style.

Stipule

An appendage at the base of a leaf stalk, usually one on each side and often leaf-like.

Stolon

A slender branch or shoot, usually subterranean or prostrate, which takes root at the tip and eventually developes into a new plant.

Stoloniferous

Bearing stolons or suckers.

Striate

Marked lengthwise with fine lines or ridges.

Style

A usually cylindrical and often more or less elongated extension of the ovary, which, when present, bears the stigma at its apex.

Sucker

A shoot rising from a subterranean branch or a root.

Suture

A line of splitting.

Tendril

A coiling, thread-like organ by which certain vines grasp an object for support.

Tertiary

Next after the second in order, such as the branch of a secondary vein.

Throat

The interior of a flower at the top of the corolla tube.

Tooth

One of the more or less small, shallow segments of a margin; there is no hard and fast distinction between large teeth and small lobes.

Tube

The united lower portion of a corolla or calyx, especially when narrow and elongated.

Unarmed

Without spines, prickles or bristles.

Undulate

Pertaining to a wavy surface or margin.

Whorled

The arrangement of parts which are placed in threes or more, at the same level, in a circle around an axis, as leaves around a twig.

X.

A sign indicating a hybrid.

Zone

An area with a restricted range of annual average minimum temperatures.

Zone Number

An indication of the winter hardiness of a plant; thus a Zone $4$ plant would be generally winter hardy south of the northern limit of Zone $4$.