Plant Botany and Morphology Practice Flashcards

A set of practice vocabulary cards based on botanical lecture notes, covering plant anatomy, flower morphology, and specific descriptions of various plant families.

Umbellularia californica

Scientific name for the plant commonly called California bay, California laurel, pepperwood, and Oregon Myrtle; demonstrates why common names are problematic in botany.

Roots

Structure providing anchorage to keep plants upright, absorption of water and nutrients from the soil, and storage of carbohydrates.

Stems / Shoots

Structure offering support, transport of water and nutrients between roots and leaves, and storage of water and carbohydrates.

Plant metamere

A basic, repeating modular unit that builds a plant's shoot system; composed of an apical bud, axillary bud, node, internode, leaf, petiole, and stipule.

Apical bud

Primary growing point at the tip of a plant stem responsible for vertical growth and elongation.

Axillary bud

An immature group of undifferentiated cells at the junction of leaf and stem where new growth and branching occurs.

Node

Point of attachment of leaves and buds onto the stem.

Internode

Stem segment between two successive nodes.

Leaf

A flattened photosynthetic organ composed of a blade (lamina) and a petiole.

Petiole

Stalk that supports the blade and attaches the leaf to the node.

Stipule

Appendages at the base of the petiole; present only in some plants.

Blade / Lamina

The flat, expanded part of the leaf containing the apex, primary vein, midvein, margin, and base.

Alternate leaf arrangement

One leaf at each node.

Opposite leaf arrangement

Two leaves at each node, one on each side.

Whorled leaf arrangement

$3$ or more leaves at a single node.

Simple leaf

A leaf with a single, undivided blade.

Compound leaf

A leaf in which the blade is divided into separate leaflets; distinguished by buds found only at the base of the whole leaf (petiole).

Annual plant

A plant that lives for $1$ year or less and is mostly herbaceous in growth habit.

Perennial plant

A plant that lives for $3$ or more years; mostly woody trees and shrubs.

apo-

Prefix meaning parts are free or unfused (e.g., aposepalous, apocarpous).

syn- / sym-

Prefix meaning parts are fused (e.g., synsepalous, syncarpous).

Corolla tube

The tube formed by the fusion of petals in a sympetalous corolla.

Connation

Fusion of the same type of parts, such as connate petals.

Limb

The expanded, free or flared portion of connate petals or sepals beyond the fused tube.

Adnation

Fusion of dissimilar parts, such as adnate petals and stamens.

Epipetalous stamens

Stamens that are fused (adnate) to the petals.

Actinomorphic

Flower perianth that can be divided into equal parts in $3$ or more ways; radially symmetric.

Zygomorphic

Flower perianth that can be divided into two equal halves in only $1$ way; bilaterally symmetric.

Calyx

The outermost floral whorl composed of sepals; typically green and protective.

Corolla

The second floral whorl composed of petals; typically colorful to attract pollinators.

Androecium

The third floral whorl composed of stamens, the male reproductive organs.

Gynoecium

The innermost floral whorl composed of pistils, the female reproductive organs.

Perianth

Collective term for petals and sepals together.

Stamen

Male reproductive organ composed of the filament (stalk) and anther (pollen-producing sac).

Pistil

Female reproductive organ composed of stigma, style, and ovary.

Carpel

The basic unit of the gynoecium; a folded, seed-bearing leaf-like structure.

Complete flower

A flower that has all $4$ floral whorls present (sepals, petals, stamens, and carpels).

Perfect flower

A flower that has both pistils and stamens present.

Superior ovary

Ovary positioned above the insertion point of sepals, petals, and stamens.

Inferior ovary

Ovary embedded in receptacle tissue with sepals, petals, and stamens inserted above it.

Hypogynous flower

Sepals, petals, and stamens inserted beneath a superior ovary.

Perigynous flower

A superior or inferior ovary surrounded by a hypanthium formed by the union of lower portions of sepals, petals, and stamens.

Epigynous flower

Sepals, petals, and stamens arising from the top of an inferior ovary.

Hypanthium

A cup- or tube-shaped structure formed by the fusion of the bases of sepals, petals, and stamens.

Monocarpous gynoecium

Gynoecium consisting of $1$ carpel, $1$ pistil, and $1$ locule.

Syncarpous gynoecium

Multiple carpels fused into a single compound pistil.

Apocarpous gynoecium

Multiple carpels remaining separate, each forming its own pistil.

Locule

A chamber within the ovary that contains ovules.

Dehiscent fruit

A dry fruit that splits open at maturity to release its seeds.

Indehiscent fruit

A dry fruit that does not open at maturity; the whole fruit is dispersed.

Silique

A long, dehiscent dry fruit with $2$ carpels separated by a false septum; characteristic of Brassicaceae.

Silicle

A short, wide dehiscent dry fruit; Essentially a short silique; characteristic of Brassicaceae.

Follicle

A dry, dehiscent fruit that opens along one seam only; found in Spiraeoideae.

Achene

A small, dry, indehiscent, one-seeded fruit with a thin pericarp.

Nut

A large, dry, indehiscent fruit with a hard, thick pericarp.

Drupe

A fleshy fruit with a fleshy outer layer and a hard inner pit (endocarp) enclosing the seed.

Pome

An accessory fruit where fleshy part develops from the hypanthium; characteristic of Maloideae.

Berry

A simple fleshy fruit with a fleshy pericarp and seeds embedded in the flesh.

Aggregate fruit

A fruit developed from a single flower with multiple separate pistils on an enlarged receptacle.

Accessory fruit

A fruit in which tissue other than the ovary, such as the receptacle or hypanthium, forms a major part of the fruit.

Multiple fruit

A fruit developed from the fused or compacted gynoecia of multiple flowers in an inflorescence.

Hip

The accessory fruit of Rosa; an enlarged, fleshy hypanthium surrounding the achenes inside.

Pericarp

The mature ovary wall surrounding the seed(s); composed of exocarp, mesocarp, and endocarp.

Bract

A modified leaf that subtends an inflorescence or flower within.

Rachis

The central axis of a multi-flowered inflorescence or a compound leaf.

Involucre

A whorl or cluster of bracts surrounding a flower cluster or head.

Capitulum

A compact head of small florets resembling a single flower; characteristic of Asteraceae.

Phyllaries

Sepal-like bracts surrounding the capitulum (head) of Asteraceae flowers.

Pappus

Modified sepals of Asteraceae florets occurring as hairs, bristles, or scales; aids in seed dispersal.

Monoecious

Having separate male and female flowers on the same individual plant.

Dioecious

Having male and female flowers on different individual plants.

Gymnosperm

Vascular plants reproducing via exposed (naked) seeds/ovules not enclosed in a carpel; ovules borne on open bracts.

Monocots

Plants characterized by $1$ cotyledon, parallel-veined leaves, floral parts in $3s$ or $6s$, and fibrous roots.

Dicots

Plants characterized by $2$ cotyledons, net-veined leaves, floral parts in $4s$ or $5s$, and often a taproot.

Solanaceae

The Nightshade Family; features actinomorphic flowers with $5$ pleated petals, anthers in cones, and toxic alkaloids.

Boraginaceae

The Borage Family; features bristly hairs, helicoid cymes, and a $4$-chambered ovary that breaks into $4$ nutlets.

Hydrophyllaceae

The Waterleaf Family; features sticky/glandular hairs, forked styles, and a $2$-chambered capsule fruit.

Lamiaceae

The Mint Family; features square stems, opposite fragrant leaves, strongly zygomorphic bilabiate flowers, and $4$ nutlets.

Plantaginaceae

The Plantain Family; features zygomorphic two-lipped flowers and superior $2$-carpelled ovaries; leaves are not strictly opposite as in Lamiaceae.

Brassicaceae

The Mustard Family; features $4$ cruciform petals, $6$ tetradynamous stamens, and glucosinolates.

Tetradynamous stamens

A stamen arrangement of $6$ stamens with $4$ long and $2$ short.

Onagraceae

The Evening Primrose Family; characterized by parts in $4s$, inferior ovaries, and tubular hypanthia.

Papaveraceae

The Poppy Family; features milky or colored latex sap, deciduous sepals, and numerous stamens.

Polygonaceae

The Buckwheat Family; features jointed stems, ochreas, tepals, and $3$-sided achenes.

Ochrea

A sheath-like stipule wrapping around the stem at the node; characteristic of Polygonaceae.

Tepals

Perianth parts that are not differentiated into distinct sepals and petals.

Alliaceae

The Onion Family; features onion/garlic odor, bulbs, umbel inflorescences with spathe bracts, and $6$ tepals.

Agavaceae

The Agave Family; features woody rosettes or succulents, $6$ tepals, and lacks onion/garlic odor.

Fagaceae

The Oak Family; monoecious trees producing male catkins and female flowers that become acorns (nuts in a scaly cup).

Rosaceae

The Rose Family; features a hypanthium, stipules, and numerous stamens; includes subfamilies Rosoideae, Maloideae, Prunoideae, and Spiraeoideae.

Faboideae

Pea subfamily of Fabaceae; features papilionaceous corolla (banner, wings, keel), diadelphous stamens, and root nodules.

Papilionaceous corolla

Butterfly-like corolla consisting of $1$ banner, $2$ wings, and $2$ keel petals.

Diadelphous stamens

Stamens arranged in two groups, typically $9$ fused together and $1$ free.

Caesalpinioideae

Palo Verde subfamily of Fabaceae; features weakly zygomorphic flowers with an open keel and exposed stamens.

Mimosoideae

Mesquite subfamily of Fabaceae; features small actinomorphic flowers in dense clusters with showy stamens and bipinnate leaves.

Areoles

Small cushion-like areas on cactus stems from which spines and/or glochids emerge.

Syngenesious stamens

Stamens with anthers fused into a hollow cylinder with free filaments; characteristic of Asteraceae.

Poaceae

The Grass Family; features hollow culms, spikelets with glumes/lemma/palea, and caryopsis fruit.

Culm

A single hollow grass stem with its associated leaves.

Caryopsis

The characteristic fruit of Poaceae; a one-seeded indehiscent fruit where the pericarp is fused to the seed coat.