Glossary

A
Acute - narrowly pointed (Moore).
Accuminate - leaf tapering gradually to a fine point (Moore).
Alternating - in leaves, occuring at different distances along the stem from a branch, on opposite sides of the stem.
Anther - the pollen-bearing part of a stamen (Moore), supported by a filiament.
Apex - the leaf tip.
Aril - an expanded stalk of a seed (Moore). A fleshy surrounding of a seed.
Awn - fine bristle-like parts that extend out from the end of a grass flower or fruiting body (Kutsche and Lay).
Axil - the upper angle between stem and leaf (Moore).
Axillary - occurring between the stem and the leaf.

B
Bracteoles - a small bract on a flower stalk. A bract is a scale, leaf-like or petal-like structure subtending (i.e., beneath) an inforescence or flower (Moore)

C
Calyx - collective term for the sepals of a flower (Moore).
Chenopod - saltbushes and their relatives, making up the family Chenopodiaceae of over 1500 members of herbs and shrubs (Moore).
Corolla - the petals of a flower collectively (Moore).

D
Decumbent - with branches spreading on or near the ground but with their ends growing upwards, sprawling (Moore).
Dioecious - plants bearing only one sex of flower, only male or female (opp. Monoecious) (Moore).

E
Elliptic - (of leaves) broadest at the middle and tapering symmetrically to an obtuse or rounded apex and base (Moore).
Entire - (of leaf margins) smooth, not lobed or toothed (Moore).

F
Filiament - a small slender stalk (Moore), part of a stamen, together with the anther.
Floret - individual flower of a grass or flowerhead (Kutsche and Lay).
Forb - an annual plant (growing after rain) or a perennial plant which dies back to its rootstock in dry periods (Kutsche and Lay).

G
Glabrous - without hairs (Moore)
Glaucous - bluish-green colour with a whitish bloom that can be rubbed off (Moore).

L
Lanceolate - tapering to an acute apex and broadest below the middle (Moore).
Lobed - having... lobes!

I
Inflorescence- a flower stem or axis (Moore).

M
Monoecious - plants bearing both male and female flowers (opp. Dioecious) (Moore).

O
Opposite - in leaves, occurring in pairs 180 degrees around a stem from each other, at the same distance from the branch from each other.
Ovate - tapering to the tip, rounded and broadest below the middle (Moore)

P
Pannicle - a repeatedly branched racemose inflorescence (Moore).
Phyllode - a flat structure found on Acacia species (wattles, Mulga, etc.) that performs the same function as a leaf (Kutsche and Lay).

R
Raceme - an inflorescence (a flower spike, call it) with flowers attached to the main spike by shorter stalks, shortening progressively towards the tip. The youngest flowers occur at the tip on the shortest stalks (Moore).

References -

G.M. Cunningham, W.E. Mulham, P.L. Milthorpe and J.H.Leigh (1992). Plants of western New South Wales. Inkata Press, Melbourne, ISBN 0 409 30687 8.

Frank Kutsche and Brendan Lay (2003). Field guide to the plants of outback South Australia. Department of Water, Land and Biodiversity Conservation, South Australia, ISBN 0 7590 1052 8.

Phillip Moore (2005). A guide to plants of inland Australia. Reed New Holland, ISBN 1 876334 86 X.

Reflexed - bent downwards or backwards (Moore)
Reticulate - forming a network (Moore).

S
Scurfy - covered with small greyish scales (Moore).
Sepal - one of the outher whorl of segments of a flower, together forming the calyx (Moore).
Sessile - attached directly to the stem or axis without a stalk (Moore).
Stamen - a male organ of a flower consisting of a filiament and anther (Moore).
Stipules - appendages on the stem at the base of a leaf, and originating from it, that may be spiny, scaly or leaf-like.

T
Terete - in leaves (or phyllodes), meaning narrowly cylindrical, round in cross-section (Moore).
Tomentum - dense felt-like covering or hairs (Moore)

Last modified December 10, 2008 20:07