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umbo pl. umbines, umbos |
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FEATURE |
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A relatively small, rounded or conical, central protrusion upon an essentially round, broad face. |
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banded |
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coloration |
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Broadly striped; having one or more elongate, relatively broad and, when multiple, more or less parallel, areas of contrasting hue and/or intensity. |
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heterotrophic |
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nutrition |
plant |
Dependent upon other organisms for some or all of its essential nourishment, assimilating such materials either directly from the other organisms, living or dead, or from their products. |
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marcescent |
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duration |
structure |
Persistent in a distinctly withered condition. |
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microgametophyte |
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PLANT |
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A gametophyte whose fertile organs (gametangia) are all antheridia. |
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ramal |
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position |
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Upon or otherwise directly associated with the stem branches. |
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microphyll |
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STRUCTURE |
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A small, lateral, leaf-like enation that, evolutionarily, is not a true leaf, i.e., whose vasculature, if any, consists of only a single median strand not ontogenetically integral with the vasculature of the bearing stem and not associated with leaf gaps in the stele of the stem; in Bryophyta, Psilotophyta, Lycopodiophyta, Equisetophyta. |
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ramentaceous |
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pubescence |
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Of small, fragile, scarious, planate trichomes. |
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peripheral |
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insertion |
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Upon or otherwise directly associated with the outer surfaces or regions of a three-dimensional structure. Although use of this term in two-dimensional contexts is technically correct, traditionally the term marginal is preferred in such cases. |
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floral |
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position |
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Upon, within, or associated with the flowers. |
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collar 2 |
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FEATURE |
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The junction between the sheath and blade of a leaf; esp. in Poaceae (Gramineae). |
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bottom-rooted |
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habit |
plant |
Aquatic and rooted in the substrate beneath the water. |
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incumbent 2 |
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orientation |
anther |
Oppositely parallel to the filament on the adaxial side of the latter. |
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replicate |
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vernation |
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Each with the distal portion of its blade recurved, paralleling and contiguous with the proximal portion. |
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symbiotic |
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nutrition |
plant |
Partially dependent for essential nourishment upon other living organisms that derive some reciprocal benefit from the relationship. |
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spike |
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nominative |
inflorescence |
An elongate, determinate or usually indeterminate axis bearing sessile flowers inserted singly along it, unbranched or sometimes bearing lateral branches of the same nature. |
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weak |
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texture |
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Very pliable and unresilient. |
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fragrant |
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odor |
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Sweet or otherwise pleasant. |
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bulbel |
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STRUCTURE |
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A comparatively small bulb branching laterally from a larger, currently primary one. |
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intercostal |
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insertion |
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Between the costae. |
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elater 2 |
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STRUCTURE |
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An elongate, flattened, hygroscopic enation from a spore, straightening upon desiccation and aiding transport by air; esp. in Equisetaceae. |
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ridged |
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solid shape |
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Having one or more ridges; esp. fruits of Apiaceae (Umbelliferae). |
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zygomorphic |
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architecture |
perianth, calyx, corolla |
Bilaterally symmetric; divisible into two essentially equal portions along only one median logitudinal plane. |
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androecium pl. androecia |
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STRUCTURE |
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The stamen(s), staminode(s), if any, and their ontogenetically associated structure(s), if any, of a single flower, taken collectively. |
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gametophyte |
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PLANT |
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The main, ultimate, gamete-bearing stage in the haploid (n chromosomes) phase of a taxon's life cycle. Two morphologically and genetically distinct and alternate stages together constitute the complete life cycle in sexually reproducing taxa, the other phase (sporophytic) being diploid (2n chromosomes). Any taxon whose life cycle is confined to one or the other phase is limited to asexual means of reproduction, since sexual reproduction and consequent genetic recombination are impossible without alternation between haploid and diploid states via meiosis and fertilization. The term gametophytic applies to any part of the haploid phase, including all unicellular to multicellular entities belonging to it, whereas gametophyte is reserved for the principal and directly gamete-producing stage of that phase. In all vascular plant taxa the sporophyte is the dominant and most conspicuous phase of the life cycle. The gametophytes of "lower" vascular plants (ferns and "fern-allies") are physically independent of the sporophytes and, though inconspicuous, merit description in their own rights. Those of gymnosperms and angiosperms are minute and physically dependent upon (contained within) sporophytic structures and are not usually included in morphological descriptions. In the flowering plants at least, the haploid phase is (presumably evolutionarily) reduced to such a degree that the existence of gametophytes per se is debatable. |
