GLOSSARY

aggregation	large collection
annual	with a life cycle of one year
apical	terminal; at the end or top of a structure
arboreal	living in trees
aril	fleshy outer covering that encloses the seed or part of it and develops from the ovule stalk, often brightly coloured
arthropods	invertebrate animals with jointed legs
asperities	sharp or rough pimple-like elevations on the skin
axil	angle of contact between a leaf or branch and its main stem
basal	situated at the base
bi-annual	half-yearly
bolas	small rounded mass
boss	massive protuberance at the base of horns
bract	specialised leaf with flower growing in its axil
buttress	outgrowth at the base of the trunk of a tree to provide support
calcareous	containing calcium; chalky
callosities	hard, thick areas of skin
calyx	collective term for all sepals of a flower
carapace	hard shield covering all or part of the body
carpel	cell or chamber within the pistil or ovary of a flower, usually ovule-bearing
caruncle	fleshy protuberance
casque	helmet-like structure
cephalothorax	combined head and thorax
cerci	sensory appendages at tip of abdomen
cere	soft waxy swelling, containing the nostrils, at the base of the upper mandible in certain birds
cilia	hair-like structures
coppice	new growth from a stem
corm	underground stem base swollen with food deposits and capable of vegetative reproduction
corolla	collective term for all petals of a flower
corpulent	bulky in body
crenate	leaves with edges notched with rounded, scalloped teeth
crepuscular	active at dawn and dusk
cryptic	camouflaged or blending with surroundings
culmen	upper ridge of a bird’s bill
deciduous	shedding all leaves at the end of a growing season
decurved	curving downwards
detritus	disintegrated material or debris
dewlap	fold of loose skin hanging from throat
diurnal	active during the day
drupe	fleshy fruit containing a stone or pip
echolocation	determination of the position of an object by measuring the time taken for an echo to return from it, and the direction of the echo
endemic	occurring only in a specified region
epiphyte	plant that grows on another plant but is not parasitic
flaccid	flabby
fluted	arranged in waves or grooves
formic acid	volatile irritant secreted by certain insects
fynbos	vegetation in which dominant plants are heaths, restios and proteas; found on coastal plains and mountains of the southern and southwestern Cape
galls	rough swellings on plants usually caused by disease or insect damage
gape	interior of the mouth; alternatively, the line along which the mandibles of a bird close
gland dot	translucent or coloured dot in a leaf, visible against the light
glaucous	covered with a powdery, usually whitish, bloom
herb	non-woody plant that dies or becomes dormant underground after the growing season
herbaceous	plants or plant parts that are fleshy rather than woody
herbivorous	feeding on plants
hermaphrodite	an organism with both male and female reproductive organs
hybridise	interbreeding between different species
imago	sexually mature stage in insect metamorphosis
inflorescence	part of a plant that consists of the flower-bearing stalks
insectivorous	feeding on insects
keel	narrow, hard ridge
keeled	ridged
lamella	spore-bearing gill of a mushroom
lithophytic	growing on stones or rock
lobe	curved or rounded projection or division forming part of a larger structure
mandible	either of a pair of mouthparts in insects or arthropods, used for biting and crushing food; alternatively the upper or lower part of a bird’s bill
margin	edge or outline
melanistic	having dark or blackened pigmentation
midrib	main, central vein in a leaf
montane	mountainous
morphology	the form and structure of an animal or plant
nagana	sleeping sickness
necrosis	decaying of bone or tissue
nocturnal	active at night
node	point on stem from which leaves or lateral branch grows
odiferous glands	glands that secrete an odour
oestrus	regularly occurring period of sexual receptivity in female mammals
omnivorous	feeding on a wide variety of food, including plants and animals
ovipositor	egg-laying appendage on female animal
pedipalp	either of a second pair of appendages on the cephalothorax of arachnids
pelagic	of the open seas
peltate	leaf with the stalk attached to its undersurface instead of its base or margin
perennial	plant with a life cycle longer than two years
pheromone	chemical substance, produced and released, influencing behaviour of other individuals of the same species
pinna	leaflet or primary division of a compound leaf or frond
pinnate	divided into leaflets
pioneer plant	species that is customarily one of the earliest to establish itself on bare or disturbed ground
prehensile	capable of grasping
proboscis	mouthpart modified to form tubular probe
pronking	bouncing vertically on all four feet – peculiar to springbok
pseudaril	false covering enclosing seed or fruit
pseudobulb	thickened stem or stem base in many of the orchid family
raceme	inflorescence in which flowers are borne along main stem, with oldest flowers at base; may be simple or compound
rachis	central axis or stem of inflorescence or compound leaf
radula	rasp-like tongue
raptor	bird of prey
ray floret	one of the strap-shaped flowers in the outer ring of a floral head that also bears disc flowers
recurved	curving upwards
restio	reed-like, wind-pollinated plant; male and female flowers on separate, often very different-looking plants
rhizome	horizontal underground stem thickened by deposits of reserve food and possessing buds or nodes for vegetative reproduction
rootstock	short underground stem, similar to rhizome but erect
rosette	rose-shaped patch of colour; alternatively, a circular cluster of leaves growing from the base of a stem, usually at ground level
rufous	reddish-brown
scute	horny plate on shell of tortoise or enlarged scale on other reptile
semi-parasite	plant that contains chlorophyll and is partially self-sustaining, partially parasitic
sepal	one of the modified leaves comprising the calyx at the base of a flower – usually green, not coloured like the petals
sori (singular sorus)	fertile body on underside of fern frond containing a cluster of spores
sounder	herd of pigs
spadix	floral spike, enclosed in spathe, with fleshy axis bearing many small flowers without stalks
spathe	large bract, often coloured, that encloses or supports the inflorescence of certain plants
speculum	patch of iridescent colour on the wing of some birds, mainly ducks
spinneret	appendage through which silk is extruded (e.g. on abdomen of spider)
stabilimentum	band of silk spun across middle of spider web
stilt root	root elevated to protrude above water level in swamps or estuaries
stipel	minute leaf at the base of the pinna of a compound leaf
stippling	dotted area
stipule	leaflike outgrowth at base of a leaf or its stalk; scar is left when it falls off
strangler	tree that supports its growth by engulfing the trunk of another, ultimately killing it
striated	grooved or striped
stridulation	sound produced by rubbing together certain appendages, e.g. wings, legs
succulent	plant with fleshy, juicy tissues containing water reserves
sucker	new shoot growing from the main stem or root of a plant
tepals	petals or sepals that are not clearly differentiated
terminal	at the tip or end
termitaria	termite nests
trifoliate	compound, with three leaflets
truncate	cut off at the tip
tuber	fleshy underground stem or root that stores food and is an organ of vegetative reproduction
tubercle	small, rounded nodule
wattle	fleshy appendage