Glossary of Taxonomic Terminology

Axillary Bud:

Axillary bud is a bud located in the leaf axil.

Axis:

Axis is themain stem of an inflorescence especially of a panicle.

Axil:

Axil is an angle between the leaf and stem.

Awn:

Awn is a slender or stiff bristle usually extending from a grass floret specifically the glumes or lemma.

Auricle:

Auricle are small ear-shaped lobes or appendages at the junction of the leaf sheath and blade in grasses or at the leaf base of broadleaf plants.

Atypical:

Atypical means unusual not the norm.

Attenuate:

Attenuate means gradually becoming very narrow and slender.

Asymmetrical:

Asymmetrical means lop-sided; having two sides different in shape or area.

Asexual:

Asexual is reproduction not involving the fusion of a sperm and an egg.

Ascending:

Ascending means sloping or growing upward or outward but not straight.

Blade:

Blade is the expanded usually flat portion of a leaf.

Bur:

Bur is a rough prickly seed capsule.

Bulblet:

Bulblet is a small bulb see bulbil.

Bulbil:

Bulbil is a small bulb or bulblike structure usually borne in leaf axils or among or in the place of flowers or in other unusual places. It can fall off and grow into a new plant.

Bulb:

Bulb is an underground short thickened shoot where food is stored such as wild onion.

Bud:

Bud is an usually tightly bunched undeveloped shoot or flower usually located in a leaf axil or at the tip of a stem or branch.

Bristle:

Bristle is a short coarse stiff hairlike part.

Branch:

Branch is a lateral stem.

Bract:

Bract is a modified usually reduced leaf associated with a flower or flower cluster.

Brackish:

Brackish means somewhat salty.

Cylindrical:

Cylindrical means cylinder-shaped.

Cyathium:

Cyathium is a small cup-like inflorescence structure of the Euphorbiaceae.

Cutin:

Cutin is a waxy substance found on the surface of certain seeds or leaves to conserve water.

Cuticle:

Cuticle is the waxy outer layer of a plant shoot.

Cuneate:

Cuneate means wedge-shaped.

Cultivar:

Cultivar is a horticultural variety or race that only persists under cultivation.

Culm:

Culm is a flowering stem of a grass plant not including the leaves.

Conical:

Conical means cone-shaped.

Compressed:

Compressed means flattened laterally.

Cordate:

Cordate means heart-shaped with the point at the terminal end.

Drupe:

Drupe is a fleshy fruit with a central stony seed. Example: mango.

Dorsal:

Dorsal means on the back away from the stem or axis.

Divided:

Divided is a term meaning to cut to the base or to the midrib.

Divaricate:

Divaricate is another term for spreading.

Distinct:

Distinct is another term meaning to separate.

Distichous:

Distichous means conspicuously two-ranked.

Dissected:

Dissected means divided into numerous narrow segments or lobes.

Discrete:

Discrete is another term meaning to separate.

Digitate:

Digitate are branches arising from a common point resembling the fingers of a human hand.

Disc Flower:

Disc Flower is a type of flower with a tubular shaped corolla that is found in a head as all or part of the complete flower of many members of the Asteraceae (Compositae) family.

Extravaginal:

Extravaginal means stem penetration growth through the basal leaf sheath such as rhizomes and stolons.

Exotic:

Exotic means introduced from another country not native.

Exocarp:

Exocarp is the outermost layer of the pericarp (fruit wall).

Evergreen:

Evergreen is a term meaning retaining green leaves year-round.

Even-Pinnate:

Even-Pinnate is a compound leaf with paired leaflets on opposite sides of the axis including the tip.

Entire:

Entire is a leaf margin without teeth lobes or divisions; smooth-edged.

Epiphyte:

Epiphyte is a plant rooted on another plant.

Epidermis:

Epidermis is the outer cellular layer of plants which helps prevent drying and mechanical injury.

Epicotyl:

Epicotyl is the young stem of a seedling or embryo just above the cotyledon(s).

Ecotype:

Ecotype is a strain or selection within a given species adapted to a particular environment.

Fusiform:

Fusiform is a spindle shaped; long and narrowly elliptical with pointed ends.

Family:

Family is a taxonomic group between order and genus in rank which contains 1 or more genera.

Fascicle:

Fascicle is a term meaning a bunch or cluster.

Fibrous Roots:

Fibrous Roots are slender branched roots of similar size arising from a similar point.

Filament:

Filament is a anther-bearing stalk of a stamen (male part) of a flower; thread.

Filiform:

Filiform is a term meaning thread-like long and very slender.

First Leaf:

First leaf is the subsequent leaf produced after the cotyledons in seedlings.

Flabellate:

Flabellate is a term meaning fan-shaped.

Flaccid:

Flaccid is a term meaning without rigidity; limp or weak.

Floret:

Floret is a small flower of a dense cluster.

Genotype:

Genotype is the hereditary makeup of a plant (or variety) which determines its inheritance.

Genus (plural: Genera):

Genus is a group of related species.

Glabrous:

Glabrous is a term meaning smooth without hairs or bristles.

Gland:

Gland is the secretory structure often a protuberance.

Glandular Hair:

Glandular hair is a a small hair terminated in a small pin head-like gland frequently secreting resin wax or other substances.

Glaucous:

Glaucous is a term meaning covered with a waxy coating appearing as whitish to blue-green in color.

Globose:

Globose is a term meaning shaped like a globe round.

Glume:

Glume is one of the pair of bracts at the base of a grass spikelet.

Grass-Like:

Grass-Like are leaves long and narrow usually more than 10 times as long as broad.

Gymnosperm:

Gymnosperm is a plant that produces seeds but not fruits. The seeds are not borne within an ovary and are said to be naked hence the name.

Hybrid:

Hybrid is a term meaning a cross between two species.

Hypocotyl:

Hypocotyl is the stem part below the cotyledons of a seedling.

Habit:

Habit is a term meaning the growth form of the plant.

Habitat:

Habitat is the natural environment where a plant grows.

Halophyte:

Halophyte is a plant that grows in salty soil.

Hammock:

Hammock is a raised island of vegetation in a swamp or more commonly a temperate hardwood forest.

Hastate:

Hastate is a term meaning arrowhead shape with pointed basal lobes.

Head:

Head is a dense cluster of stalkless flowers as in dandelion.

Herbaceous (herb):

Herbaceous is a nonwoody plant that may die back to the ground in winter.

Hyaline:

Hyaline is a term meaning transparent.

Immersed:

Immersed is a term meaning growing under water; submerged.

Imperfect Flower:

Imperfect Flower are flowers lacking either male or female parts; unisexual flowers.

Indehiscent:

Indehiscent is a term meaning not splitting.

Indeterminate:

Indeterminate is a term meaning conditions where growth and differentiation are not stopped continuous.

Inferior:

Inferior is a term meaning beneath.

Inferior Ovary:

Inferior ovary is an ovary below the point of attachment of sepals and petals; the rest of the flower sits on the ovary.

Inflorescence:

Inflorescence is the flowering portion of a plant.

Intercalary Meristem:

Intercalary meristem is the meristematic area between two previously differentiated tissues of certain organs such as between the leaf blade and sheath or between a node and internode that accounts for stem elongation in grasses.

Internode:

Internode is the section of stem between two successive nodes or joints.

Involute:

Involute is a term meaning rolled inward.

Joint:

Joint is a node of a grass stem.

Keel:

Keel is a prominent ridge often comprised of tissue on both sides of a midrib of a glume or leaf blade for example which has grown together.

Leaf Axil:

Leaf axil is a position on a stem between the leaf and the stem.

Leaf Bud:

Leaf bud is a small axillary or terminal bud containing rudimentary foliage.

Leaflet:

Leaflet is one of the divisions of a compound leaf.

Legume:

Legume is a member of the pea or bean family having dry fruit (pod) that splits open along two longitudinal sutures.

Lemma:

Lemma is the lowermost of the two bracts enclosing a grass flower.

Lianous:

Lianous is a climbing herbaceous or woody vine that roots in the ground.

Ligule:

Ligule is the projection at the inside junction of the grass leaf blade and collar which may be membrane-like or a row of hairs.

Linear:

Linear is a long and narrow shape with parallel margins.

Lobe:

Lobe is a segment of a simple leaf notched rather deeply into curved or angular segments.

Lodicule:

Lodicule is one of two or three scales at the bottom of the ovary in many grasses.

Midvein:

Midvein is the primary vein especially when keeled (or thickened).

Monocotyledon Monocot:

Monocotyledon or monocot are grass and grass-like plants in which embryos (seedlings) have one cotyledon (seed leaf) and mostly parallel-veined leaves inconspicuous flowers flower parts in multiples of 3's and no secondary growth.

Monoecious:

Monoecious: are staminate (male) and the pistillate (female) flowers being in separate inflorescences but occurring on the same plant. Example: corn.

Male:

Male in flowers means having stamens but no pistils.

Margin:

Margin is the edge or border usually of a leaf.

Maritime:

Maritime is a term meaning confined to the sea or sea coast.

Marsh:

Marsh is wet or periodically inundated land typically treeless and composed of grasses cat-tails or other monocots.

Membranous:

Membranous is a term meaning thin transparent and flexible: membrane-like.

Meristem:

Meristem is tissue capable of dividing into various organs or parts.

Mesocarp:

Mesocarp is the middle layer of the pericarp (or fruit wall).

Native:

Native is a term meaning indigenous inhabitant; original.

Naturalized:

Naturalized means introduced but self-seeding and surviving without human assistance.

Net-Veined:

Net-veined is a term meaning with a network of veins; not parallel-veined.

Nodding:

Nodding is a term meaning hanging down.

Node:

Node is a portion of a stem at which one or more leaves and roots are attached.

Nut:

Nut is an indehiscent one-celled and one-seeded hard and bony fruit. Example: acorn.

Ovule:

Ovule is the portion of the ovary of the flower which becomes the seed.

Ovoid:

Ovoid is a term meaning egg-shaped.

Ovate:

Ovate is a term meaning egg-shaped in outline; broadest below the middle.

Ovary:

Ovary is the lower part of the pistil containing the ovules or later the seed.

Oval or Ovate:

Oval is a shape similar to a hen's egg; widest below the middle.

Oval:

Oval is a term meaning broadly elliptic.

Open:

Open is a term meaning loose.

Orbicular:

Orbicular is a term meaning circular or nearly round.

Opposite:

Opposite is an arrangement of paired leaves attached opposite each other at the same node.

Oblanceolate:

Oblanceolate is the opposite of lanceolate the terminal half the widest and tapering to the base.

Pistil:

Pistil is a female flower composed of stigma style and ovary and formed from one or more carpels.

Pericarp:

Pericarp is the wall of a matured ovary when it becomes a fruit.

Petal:

Petal is the inner floral leaf that makes up a flower?s corolla generally colored or white.

Petiole:

Petiole is the stalk or stem of a leaf.

Pilose:

Pilose is a term meaning hairy or the hairs being elongated slender and soft.

Pinnate:

Pinnate is a type of compound leaf with the leaflets arranged on either side of a central axis.

Pinnate Venation:

Pinnate venation is venation resembling a feather with veins branching from the main vein.

Pinnately compound:

Pinnately compound is a compound leaf with the leaflets arranged along a central common axis.

Pinnatifid:

Pinnatifid are pinnately lobed with lobes not quite reaching to midrib (somewhat resembling a feather).

Perianth:

Perianth is the collective name for the two whorls of modified leaves (sepals and petals) which surround sex organs in the flower.

Q:

No terms could be found.

Reflexed:

Reflexed is a term meaning turned abruptly downward or backward.

Runner:

Runner is a slender stolon (or horizontal stem).

Rudimentary:

Rudimentary is a term meaning small often incompletely developed.

Rosette:

Rosette is a circular cluster of leaves usually appressed or located near the ground level.

Rolled:

Rolled is a grass leaf bud that is cylindrical in arrangement applies to the youngest leaf in the bud shoot.

Rhombic:

Rhombic is more or less diamond-shaped having straight margins and being widest in the middle.

Rhizome:

Rhizome is a creeping horizontal underground stem producing shoots above ground and roots below; distinguished from a root by the presence of nodes buds or scale-like leaves; may originate from the main stem or from tillers.

Reticulate:

Reticulate is a a network pattern netted.

Reniform:

Reniform is a term meaning kidney- or bean-shaped.

Recurved:

Recurved is a term meaning curved downward or backward.

Symmetrical:

Symmetrical means possessing one or more planes of symmetry; planes which divide the object into mirror-image halves.

Subspecies (ssp):

Subspecies are a form of a recognized species differing in one or more significant ways.

Subtended:

Subtended is a term meaning underneath directly below or close to.

Subulate:

Subulate is a term meaning awl-shaped.

Succulent:

Succulent is a term meaning soft and fleshy.

Sucker:

Sucker is a plant shoot that arises from an adventitious bud on a root.

Summer annual:

Summer annual is a plant that germinates in spring grows and flowers in summer and sets seed in fall after which it dies.

Superior ovary:

Superior ovary is a ovary sitting above and within the whorls of stamens petals and sepals.

Swale:

Swale is the moist meadow area lower than the surrounding area.

Spathe:

Spathe is a large usually conspicuous often colored bract resembling a leaf or petal beneath or enclosing an inflorescence.

Two-ranked:

Two-ranked is described as coming off the stem in two different directions as in the grass family.

Turgid:

Turgid is a swollen tissue from internal water pressure.

Tufted:

Tufted is described as being in compact clusters forming clumps.

Tubular:

Tubular is decribed as being cylindrical and hollow.

Tuber:

Tuber is a thickened storage portion of a rhizome or stolon (stem) commonly its terminal end.

Truncate:

Truncate is described as having a cut off square very blunt ending abruptly.

Trifoliate:

Trifoliate is a type of compound leaf composed of three leaflets.

Toothed:

Toothed a saw projections (or ?teeth?) on the margins of leaves.

Trailing:

Trailing means prostrate but not rooting.

Tapering:

Tapering maens gradually becoming smaller toward one end; not abrupt.

Ubiquitous:

Ubiquitous means occurring everywhere.

Umbel:

Umbel is an inflorescence with pedicels arising from a common point of attachment.

Undulate:

Undulate means with a wavy or irregular surface or margin (edge).

Unilateral:

Unilateral meaning one-sided or turned to one side.

Unisexual:

Unisexual means flowers having only male (staminate) or female (pistillate) elements.

Vaginate:

Vaginate or otherwise known as sheathed.

Variety (var):

Variety is the distinguishing stable subdivision of a plant species differing in a minor trait such as leaf variegation.

Vein:

Vein are ribs of a leaf; one of the vascular bundles of a leaf.

Vermiform:

vermiform a term meaning worm-shaped.

Vernation:

Vernation is the arrangement of the youngest leaf in the bud shoot; either rolled or folded.

Verticillate:

Verticillate means arranged in a whorl.

Winter annual:

Winter annual is a plant that germinates in late summer grows vegetatively during winter flowers and sets seed in late spring to early summer after which it dies.

Woody:

Woody means consisting or composed of wood or wood-like tissue.

Whorled leaves:

Whorled leaves are three or more leaves attached in a circular arrangement at the same node.

Winged:

Winged means bearing one or more broad flanges along its length.

X:

No terms could be found.

Y:

No terms could be found.

Zygote:

Zygote is a fertilized egg.