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pubescence |
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CHARACTER |
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Collective aspect of trichomes borne on the surface. Many of the terms traditionally used for describing pubescence have been defined and used in so many differing and often contradictory ways that they have become hopelessly ambiguous. This is attributable mainly to overdefinition within this portion of the traditional lexicon — that is, to highly arbitrary and widely variant restriction of a term's scope to some one detailed combination of trichome character states (shape, size, orientation, etc.). By derivation these are essentially general terms, really suited only for denoting overall aspect. The diversity actually encountered in nature defies comprehensive and unambiguous resolution into any limited suite of precisely specified, mutually exclusive, complex character states that can be associated with these terms, which are best used only in their general senses. Sometimes, such description will be sufficient in itself; more often, additionally or alternatively, the various attributes of the individual trichomes should be described. This is the only strategy that allows for full description of any possible condition, including the presence of more than one type of trichome. The various terms used for describing pubescence have never been semantically consistent; in some cases they refer to the trichomes themselves, while in others they apply to the bearing surface or structure; e.g., sericeous (the trichomes themselves are collectively silky) versus barbate (the structure is bearded). See also coating, indumentum (vesture). |
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weeping |
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architecture |
plant |
Having elongate, flexible, pendent branches. |
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resinous 1 |
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coating |
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Of liquid or hardened resin. |
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prop root |
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STRUCTURE |
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A relatively stout adventitious root arising from the lower portion of a main stem and extending outward and downward toward the substrate, within which it ultimately becomes anchored, thus buttressing the aboveground portion of the plant. |
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herbaceous 2 |
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texture |
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Composed entirely of relatively soft, non-woody (unlignified) tissues derived from primary growth. |
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resinous 2 |
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texture |
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Having the consistency of resin. |
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amphibious |
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habit |
plant |
Able to live in either aquatic or terrestrial habitats; e.g., adapted to periodic inundation on floodplains. |
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intravaginal |
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position |
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Within the leaf sheath. |
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inflorescence 2 |
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STRUCTURE |
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The basic architectural unit of the flower-producing portion of a plant; comprising one or more flowers, their associated supporting axes (peduncles, main axes, branches and pedicels), if any, and the appendages thereto (bracts, bractlets or bracteoles or prophylls, involucres, involucels, and glumes), if any; delimited by the insertion or gradation of a single peduncle, peduncle cluster, pedicel, pedicel cluster, or sessile flower, as the case may be, directly upon or into some proximal vegetative structure not of one of these types; depending upon the type(s) of flowers included, may be bisexual (all flowers bisexual), staminate (all flowers staminate), pistillate (all flowers pistillate), sterile (all flowers sterile), or mixed (two or more types of flowers present); most appropriately described using nominative terms. |
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coloration |
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CHARACTER |
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Hue(s), intensity(ies), and/or pattern (if any) of coloring. When more than one hue and/or intensity is involved, a term describing the pattern of contrast will be applicable, and the description as a whole should be phrased to indicate the particular role of each in the pattern; e.g., "ovaries striate, yellow on green"; "petals pink, spotted yellow basally"; "sepals green, suffused with red". |
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sepal |
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STRUCTURE |
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One of the one or more constituent members of a calyx; usually green and leaf-like, but sometimes with color and/or texture otherwise, sometimes petaloid; may be distinct or else connate with one or more others and/or may be free or else adnate to one or more other floral structures. |
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knee 2 |
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STRUCTURE |
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An emergent portion of an otherwise normally submerged secondary root of a wetland tree, resembling a bent human knee. |
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spathe |
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STRUCTURE |
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A usually relatively large, sometimes showy, foliose bract subtending and sometimes partially enclosing an inflorescence, esp. a spadicate one; in Liliidae (monocotyledons). |
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sinuate |
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margin |
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Having regular, curved, smoothly connected, alternating concavities and convexities. See also repand. |
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basiramous |
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architecture |
axis |
Branching at or near the base. See also basicauliramous. |
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cuniculate |
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solid shape |
elongate structure |
Hollow over a significant part of its length, the interior open at the end of the hollow portion. |
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manifestation |
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CHARACTER |
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Degree or nature of evidence when present within the context in point. |
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adenopetalous 2 |
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derivation |
flower, perianth, corolla |
Having petals derived from glandular structures. |
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naked 2 |
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architecture |
bud |
Lacking enclosing protective scales, the outermost embryonic components exposed and not differing significantly from those within. See also perulate. |
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dichasiate |
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architecture |
inflorescence |
Comprising one or more simple or compound dichasia. See also cincinnate, cymose, cymulose, helicoid-cymose, monochasiate, scorpioid-cymose. |
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surface |
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FEATURE |
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The exterior or bounding area or layer of any structure, regarded as being infinitely thin; usually described as to relief, reflectance, and/or vesture. |
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decurved |
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orientation |
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Curving abaxially. See also incurved. |
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obovate |
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plane shape |
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Inversely ovate (egg-shaped). |
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non-septate |
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architecture |
trichome |
Lacking transverse inter- or intracellular septa or partitions. |
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tetrad |
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STRUCTURE |
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A group of four pollen grains originating from a single pollen mother cell. |
