achene: A dry, single-seeded fruit that does not split open at maturity.
alternate: A reference to the arrangement of leaves on a stem where the leaves appear singly and staggered on opposite sides of the stem.
annual: A plant that completes its life cycle, from seed germination to production of new seed, within one year and then dies.
anther: The portion of the stamen (the male portion of a flower) that produces pollen.
axil: The upper angle formed where a leaf, branch or other organ is attached to a plant stem.
basal: A reference to leaves that occur at the bottom of the plant, usually near or on the ground.
berry: A fleshy, many-seeded fruit.
biennial: A plant that completes its life cycle in two years, normally producing leaves in the first year and flowers in the second, before dying.
blade: The body of a leaf, excluding the stalk.
bract: A reduced or otherwise modified leaf that is usually found near the flower of a plant but is not part of the flower. See also florescence; inflorescence.
bulb: An underground plant part derived from a short, often rounded shoot that is covered with scales or leaves.
calyx: The outer set of flower parts, usually composed of sepals.
capsule: A dry fruit with more than one compartment that splits open to release seeds.
clasping: In reference to a leaf that surrounds or partially wraps around a stem or branch.
composite inflorescence: A flower-like inflorescence of the Composite Family, made up of ray flowers and/or disc flowers. Where both ray and disc flowers exist, the ray flowers surround the disc flowers.
compound leaf: A leaf that is divided into two or many leaflets, each of which may look like a complete leaf but lacks buds. Compound leaves may have a variety of arrangements.
connate: In reference to leaves where two leaves are fused at their bases to form a shallow cup, often seen in the Honeysuckle Family.
corm: An enlarged base or stem resembling a bulb.
corolla: The collective term for the petals of the flower that are found inside the sepals.
cultivar: A cultivated variety of a wild plant.
cyme: A broad, flat-topped flower arrangement in which the inner, central flowers bloom first.
decumbent: In reference to a plant reclining, or lying on the ground with tip ascending.
disc flower: Any of the small tubular florets found in the central, clustered portion of the flower head of members of the Composite Family; also referred to as “disc florets.”
dioecious: Having unisex flowers, where male and female flowers appear on separate plants. See also monoecious.
drupe: A fleshy or juicy fruit that covers a single, stony seed inside, e.g., a cherry or a peach.
drupelet: Any one part of an aggregate fruit (like a raspberry or blackberry), where each such part is a fleshy fruit that covers a single, stony seed inside.
elliptical: Ellipse-shaped, widest in the middle. See also oval.
elongate: Having a slender form, long in relation to width.
entire: In reference to a leaf edge that is smooth, without teeth or notches.
filament: The part of the stamen that supports the anther. Also can refer to any threadlike structure.
florescence: Generally the flowering part of a plant; the arrangement of the flowers on the stem; also referred to as inflorescence. But see bract.
floret: One of the small tubular flowers in the central, clustered portion of the flower head of members of the Composite Family; also known as disc flower.
follicle: A dry fruit composed of a single compartment that splits open along one side at maturity to release seeds.
fruit: The ripe ovary with the enclosed seeds, and any other structures that enclose it.
glabrous: In reference to a leaf surface, smooth, neither waxy or sticky.
gland: A small organ that secretes a sticky or oily substance and is attached to some part of the plant.
glaucous: Having a fine, waxy, often white coating that may be rubbed off; often characteristic of leaves, fruits and stems.
hood: in reference to flower structure, a curving or folded petal-like structure interior to the petals and exterior to the stamens in certain flowers.
host: In reference to a parasitic or semi-parasitic plant, the plant from which the parasite obtains its nourishment.
inflorescence: Generally the flowering part of a plant; the arrangement of the flowers on the stem; also referred to as florescence. But see bract.
keel: The two fused petals in flowers that are members of the Pea Family.
lance-shaped: In reference to leaf shape, much longer than wide, widest below the middle and tapering to the tip, like the blade of a lance.
leaflet: A distinct, leaflike segment of a compound leaf.
linear: Like a line; long, narrow and parallel-sided.
lobe: A reference to the arrangement of leaves, a segment of a divided plant part, typically rounded.
margin: The edge of a leaf or petal.
mat: A densely interwoven or tangled, low, ground-hugging growth.
midrib: The main rib of a leaf.
mid-vein : The middle vein of a leaf.
monoecious: A plant having unisex flowers, with separate male and female flowers on the same plant. See also dioecious.
nectary: A plant structure that produces and secretes nectar.
node: A joint on a stem or root.
noxious weed: A plant, usually imported, that out-competes and drives out native plants.
oblong: Somewhat rectangular, with rounded ends.
obovate: Shaped like a teardrop.
opposite: A reference to the arrangement of leaves on a stem where the leaves appear paired on opposite sides of the stem, directly across from each other.
oval: Broadly elliptical.
ovary: The portion of the flower where the seeds develop. It is usually a swollen area below the style and stigma.
ovate: Egg-shaped.
palmate: A reference to the arrangement of leaves on a stem where the leaves spread like the fingers on a hand, diverging from a central or common point.
panicle: A branched inflorescence that blooms from the bottom up.
pencilled: Marked with coloured lines, like the petals on Violets.
perennial: A plant that does not produce seeds or flowers until its second year of life, then lives for three or more years, usually flowering each year before dying.
petal: A component of the inner floral portion of a flower, often the most brightly coloured and visible part of the flower.
petiole: The stem of a leaf.
pinnate: A reference to the arrangement of leaves on a stem where the leaves appear in two rows on opposite sides of a central stem, similar to the construction of a feather.
pistil: The female member of a flower that produces seed, consisting of the ovary, the style and the stigma. A flower may have one to several separate pistils.
pistillate: A flower with female reproductive parts but no male reproductive parts.
pollen: The tiny, often powdery male reproductive microspores formed in the stamens and necessary for sexual reproduction in flowering plants.
pome: A fruit with a core, e.g., an apple or pear.
prickle: A small, sharp, spiny outgrowth from the outer surface.
raceme: A flower arrangement that has an elongated flower cluster with the flowers attached to short stalks of relatively equal length that are attached to the main central stalk.
ray flower: One of the outer, strap-shaped petals seen in members of the Composite Family. Ray flowers may surround disc flowers or may comprise the whole of the flower head; also referred to as ray florets.
reflexed: Bent backwards, often in reference to petals, bracts or stalks.
rhizome: An underground stem that produces roots and shoots at the nodes.
rosette: A dense cluster of basal leaves from a common underground part, often in a flattened, circular arrangement.
runner: A long, trailing or creeping stem.
saprophyte: An organism that obtains its nutrients from dead organic matter.
scape: A flowering stem, usually leafless, rising from the crown, roots or corm of a plant. Scapes can have a single or many flowers.
sepal: A leaf-like appendage that surrounds the petals of a flower. Collectively the sepals make up the calyx.
serrate: Possessing sharp, forward-pointing teeth.
sessile: Of a plant structure attached directly by its base without a stalk; opposite of “stalked.”
shrub: A multi-stemmed woody plant.
simple leaf: A leaf that has a single leaf-like blade, which may be lobed or divided.
spadix: A floral spike with a fleshy or succulent axis usually enclosed in a spathe.
spathe: A sheathing bract or pair of bracts partly enclosing an inflorescence and especially a spadix on the same axis.
spike: An elongated, unbranched cluster of stalkless or nearly stalkless flowers.
spine: A thin, stiff, sharp-pointed projection.
spur: A hollow, tubular projection arising from the base of a petal or sepal, often producing nectar.
stalk: The stem supporting the leaf, flower or flower cluster.
stamen: The male member of the flower, which produces pollen; the structure typically consists of an anther and a filament.
staminate: A flower with male reproductive parts but no female reproductive parts
staminode: A sterile stamen.
standard: The uppermost petal of a typical flower in the Pea Family.
stigma: The portion of the pistil receptive to pollination; usually at the top of the style and often sticky or fuzzy.
stolon: A creeping above-ground stem capable of sending up a new plant.
style: A slender stalk connecting the stigma to the ovary in the female organ of a flower.
taproot: A stout main root that extends downward.
tendril: A slender, coiled or twisted filament with which climbing plants attach to their supports.
tepals: Petals and sepals that cannot be distinguished, one from the other.
terminal: At the top of, such as of a stem or other appendage.
terminal flower head: A flower that appears at the top of a stem, as opposed to originating from a leaf axil.
ternate: Arranged in threes, often in reference to leaf structures.
toothed: Bearing teeth or sharply angled projections along the edge.
trailing: Lying flat on the ground but not rooting.
tuber: A thick, creeping underground stem.
tubular: Hollow or cylindrical, usually in reference to a fused corolla.
umbel: A flower arrangement where the flower stalks have a common point of attachment to the stem, like the spokes of an umbrella.
unisexual: Some flowers are unisexual, having either male parts or female parts but not both. Some plants are unisexual, having either male flowers or female flowers but not both.
urn-shaped: Hollow and cylindrical or globular, contracted at the mouth; like an urn.
vacuole: A membrane-bound compartment in a plant that is typically filled with liquid and may perform various functions in the plant.
vein: A small tube that carries water, nutrients and minerals, usually referring to leaves.
viscid: Sticky, thick and gluey.
whorl: Three or more parts attached at the same point along a stem or axis, often surrounding the stem; forming a ring radiating out from a common point.
wings: Side petals that flank the keel in typical flowers of the Pea Family.