alternate (all' ter net) - leaf arrangement alternating along a stem; 1 leaf at a node
anther (an' thur) - pollen-bearing part of the stamen
awn - either a hair- or bristle-like appendage on a larger structure, or in the case of the Asteraceae, a stiff needle-like element of the pappus
basal (bas' ul) - when leaves are at base of plant
berry - technically, a simple fruit in which the entire pericarp is fleshy, except the epicarp; for example, banana, tomato, grape and currant
blade - especially a leaf of grass or the broad portion of a leaf as distinct from the petiole; the main organ of photosynthesis and transpiration in higher plants
bunch grass - the general name for perennial grass species that tend to grow in discrete tufts or clumps rather than in sod-like carpets
calcareous (kal ka' ree uhs) - calcium-rich soil
calyx (kay' liks) - the outer whorl of the flower, sepals
capsule - a dry, or occasionally leathery, dehiscent fruit made of two or more cells
cespitose (ses' pee tohs) - growing in dense, matlike clumps without creeping stems, as moss, grass, etc.
chlorophyll (klor' uh fil) - the green pigment of the plant that traps light for photosynthesis
corolla (kor' oh luh) - the inner whorl of the flower, petals
corymb (kor' imb) - flat-topped cluster of flowers, which begin blooming at the edge and proceed toward the center
crenate (kree' nayt) - margins with blunt teeth
culm (kulm) - the jointed stem of various grasses, usually hollow
deciduous (dee sid' you us) - leaves fall after completion of normal function, usually referring to those that fall from the plant before winter; also perennial plants that die back before winter
decumbent (de kum' bent) - trailing on the ground and rising at the tip, as some stems
dehiscent - bursting open when mature, as with a pod or capsule releasing seeds or anther releasing pollen
disk flowers - the central portion of the flowering head of many in the aster family
drupe - a fleshy, usually one-seeded indehiscent fruit with seed enclosed in a stony endocarp; exaples include peach, cherry and olive
druplet - a small drupe, especially as applied to the individual components of aggregate fruits such as blackberries and raspberries, which consist of many seeds, each surrounded by its own fleshy layer; also drupel
ecotype (e' koh type) - a group, or race, within a species, having unique physical characteristics genetically adapted to particular environmental conditions
elliptic (ee' lip tik) - oval, broadest in the middle
endocarp - in fruits whose pericarp consists of dissimilar layers, the innermost layer; it may be hard and stony (such as the pit of a plum or peach), membranous (as the core of an apple), or fleshy (such as the pulp of an orange)
epicarp - the outer skin of fruits
evergreen - having foliage that remains green all year
forb - an herb other than grass
frond - the leaf of ferns
hemi parasitic (him' ee par' uh sit ik) - dependent on the host for water and minerals
indehiscent - not popping or splitting open spontaneously when mature
inflorescence (in' floor ess ins) - the arrangement of flowers on the plant
lanceolate (lan' see oh late) - lance-shaped, longer than wide and broadest near the base
leaflet - one segment of a compound leaf
ligule (lig' yule) - a strap-shaped corolla in the flowers of certain composite plants; a thin membrane attached to a leaf of grass at the point where the blade meets the leaf sheath
lobe - leaf blade divided into parts separated by sinuses
mesic (mee' zik) - moderately moist but well drained
mottled - spotted, alternating between light green and dark green
nodding - hanging downward
node - point on a stem where leaves are attached
nut - the indehiscent fruit of certain trees and shrubs that have the seed enclosed in a bony, woody or leathery covering; specifically, a hard, dry, one-celled and one-seeded fruit, such as the nuts of the hazel, beech, oak and chestnut
oblanceolate (ob lan' see oh late) - lance-shaped, broadest above the middle
obligate (ob' lih git) - able to exist or survive only in a particular environment or by assuming a particular role
opposite - two leaves at a node that are opposite each other
ovary (oh' ver ee) - enlarged, rounded, usually basal, ovule(s)-bearing part of a pistil, ultimately becoming the fruit
ovule (ov' youl) - a protective structure in which the female reproductive cell develops, fertilization occurs, and seeds develop; contained within the ovary
palmate (palm ate') - veins, lobes or leaflets in an arrangement looking like the outstreached fingers on a hand
panicle (pan' ih kul) - a branched indeterminate inflorescence in which the branches are racemes, so that each flower has its own stalk (called a pedicel) attached to the branch; examples woul be oats and sorghum
pappus (pap' us) - an appendage or tuft of appendages that crowns the ovary or fruit in various seed plants and functions in dispersal of the fruit
perennial (per in' ee ul) - having a life cycle of more than two years: said esp. of herbaceous plants that produce flowers and seed from the same root structure year after year
pericarp - the wall of a fruit that is fleshy, as in berries or hard, as in nuts
petal - one segment of the corolla
petiole (pet' ee ohl) - leaf stalk
pinnae (pin' ee) - the first division of a pinnately compound leaflet in ferns
pinnate (pin ate') - veins, lobes or leaflets arising at multiple points along a common axis, like a feather
pistil (pis' tul) - female part of the flower, consisting of the stigma, style and ovary
pod - a dry dehiscent fruit or seed vessel that is more or less elongated and cylindrical or flattened, as of the pea, bean or catalpa
pollen (pol' en) - container for the male reproductive cell
pome - the typical fruit of species of Pyrus, Crataegus and certain other members of the rose family; it consists of a fleshy layer surrounding a core containing (usually) five seeds within a papery capsule
pubescent (pewb ess' int) - covered with soft hairs
raceme (ray seem') - long inflorescence with individual flowers borne on short, unbranched side stalks off a larger central stalks, as in the lily of the valley
rhizomatous (ri zoh may' shus) - having, resembling or being a rhizome
rhizome (ri' zohm) - a creeping stem lying, usually horizontally, at or under the surface of the soil and differing from a root in having scale leaves, bearing leaves or aerial shoots near its tips, and producing roots from its undersurface
rosette - a circular cluster of leaves at or near ground level
seed - the fertilized and matured ovule of a flowering plant; it contains an embryonic plant and, when placed under favorable circumstances develops into an individual similar to the one that produced it
sepal (seep' ul) - a segment of the calyx, a part of the outer floral envelope
serrate (ser' ate) - saw-toothed margins
sessile (ses' ul) - attached directly to the stem without a petiole
spathe (spayth) - a large, leaflike part or pair of such parts enclosing a flower cluster
spike - an unbranched, indeterminate inflorescence with sessile flowers
sporangia (spor' an gee uh) - case containing spores, reproduction mechanism of ferns
stamen (stay' men) - the male, pollen-bearing organ, of the flower
stigma - the sticky surface at the tip of the style to which pollen grains attach
stolon (stoh' lun) - a creeping stem that lies on or above the soil surface and bears foliage leaves, as in the strawberry or creeping bent grass
stoloniferous (stoh lun if' er us) - bearing or forming stolons
stone fruit - a fruit with a hard endocarp enveloped in pulp, as the peach, cherry and plum; a drupe or drupelet
style - part of the pistil that separates the stigma from the ovary
symbiotic relationship (sim' bee ot ik) - two or more individuals of different species living in intimate association
tepal (tee' pul) - a single flower petal; used when the two flower envelopes, corolla and calyx are indistinguishable
ternately compound (ter nate' lee) - a compound leaf that is divided three times
umbel (um' bul) - flat-topped or rounded flower cluster in which the individual flower stalks emerge from the same point on the stem, like the ribs of an umbrella
wetland - an area of land consisting of soil that is saturated with moisture, such as a swamp, marsh, or bog
whorl - three or more leaves at a node
xeric (zer' ik) - of, characterized by, or adapted to an extremely dry habitat