Fabaceae / Papilionaceae

Glossary of Botany Terms
A
Achene Small dry indehiscent fruit with the seed distinct from the fruit wall,
the term usually apply for the fruits of family Asteraceae/compositae.
Acicular Needle-shaped.
Adventitious Roots that arise from any part of the plant as in many grasses from
internodes.
Aerial Growing above the ground or water.
Aestival Appearing during the summer season.
Alternate Leaves arranged singly at each node on the stem.
Amplexicaul Clasping the stem, as some leaves do at their base.
Angiospermae Group of plants producing seeds protected by carpel.
Annual Plants that flower and fruit in one year.
Anther Part of the stamen that bears pollen.
Apical Term refer to tip or distal end.
Aquatic Growing in water.
Aromatic Agreeable, usually spicy, odor.
Ascending Generally pertaining to plant habit, where the stem and branches
are produced upward obliquely.
Auriculate Leaf base with small rounded lobes.
Awns Bristle like appendages.
Axil Upper angle that a petiole or peduncle makes with the stem that
bears it.
Axillary In the axil.
B
Basal Refers to position, base of an organ like leaves borne at the base of
stem.
Bi-labiate A flower petals with two lips.
Bisexual Having both sexes.
Bract Usually a small leaf like structure present at the base of a flower
stalk.
Bracteole Secondary bract, generally present on the flower stalk.
Bulb An underground reduced stem, in which the inner leaves are fleshy
and outer ones scaly, as in onion.
Buttress A tree trunk with a widening base.
C
Caespitose Growing in tufts.
Calyx Outermost whorl of a flower, made up of individual parts, the sepals.
Canescent Bearing a hoary, grayish pubescence
Carpel Seed producing part of a flower.
Caulescent Having a manifest stem above ground
Ciliate Bearing hairs on the margin.
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