spike |
|
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. |
complete |
|
architecture |
flower |
Having all sets of basic floral structures (calyx and corolla, or else undifferentiated perianth; androecium; and gynoecium) present and functionally normal. |
taprooted |
|
architecture |
plant |
Having a taproot. See also diffuse-rooted, fibrous-rooted. |
monopodial |
|
architecture |
axes |
Branching laterally, each axis of each order of branches produced by a single, persistently dominant, apical meristem. See also sympodial. |
gynoecium pl. gynoecia var. gynaecium |
|
STRUCTURE |
|
The pistil(s) of a single flower together with any ontogenetically equivalent or subordinate structures present, taken collectively; the total female (ovule-producing) structural complement of a single flower. It may include one to many pistils, each simple or compound. |
deltate |
|
plane shape |
|
Equilaterally triangular, broadest at the base, and regularly attenuate to an angular apex. See also obdeltate. |
continuous 3 |
|
architecture |
rachilla, rachis |
Not disarticulating at maturity. |
leaf-opposed |
|
insertion |
|
Nodal and directly opposite the leaf. |
flaccid |
|
texture |
|
Limp, sometimes appearing withered or shrunken. See also tumid (swollen, turgid). |
xylary |
|
position |
|
Within or otherwise directly associated with the wood. |
callus |
|
FEATURE |
|
A small, relatively hard covering, outgrowth, or swelling of tissue; esp. in axes of grass (Poaceae) inflorescences just distal to points of eventual disarticulation. |
pollinium pl. pollinia |
|
STRUCTURE |
|
A mass of coherent pollen grains disseminated as a unit by adhering to a pollinating insect, representing the entire content of a single theca or of fused thecae; often distally attenuate to a sterile caudicle (translator arm), which may attach to a viscidium, either directly or through an intervening stipe; esp. in Asclepiadaceae, Orchidaceae. |
rachilla 2 var. rhachilla |
|
STRUCTURE |
|
A second-order axis in an inflorescence, especially the axis bearing the florets in a spikelet; esp. in Cyperaceae, Poaceae (Gramineae). |
elater 1 |
|
STRUCTURE |
|
An elongate cell with a helical, hygroscopic thickening in its wall, contained within a sporangium, expanding and contracting with changes in humidity and aiding dispersal of the spores; esp. in Hepaticae. |
bottom-rooted |
|
habit |
plant |
Aquatic and rooted in the substrate beneath the water. |
tomentose |
|
pubescence |
|
Bearing dense, short, stiff, capillate trichomes. See also tomentulose. |
costal |
|
insertion |
|
Upon or otherwise directly associated with the costa(e) of a laminar structure. |
adherent |
|
fusion |
dissimilar structure(s) |
Superficially joined with or to one or more other dissimilar structures, the connection(s) with no significant histological continuity. See also coherent. |
prismatic |
|
solid shape |
|
Uniformly polygonal in transverse section, basally and apically truncate, all faces essentially plane. |
receptacular |
|
insertion |
|
Upon, arising from, or otherwise directly associated with the receptacle. |
hemiepiphytic |
|
habit |
plant |
Partially epiphytic; rooted in the ground but with stems growing upon and supported mainly by other plants. |
parallelodromous |
|
venation |
|
Having two or more primary veins that run more or less parallel to one another over most of the laminar length and converge near the apex. |
bulbel |
|
STRUCTURE |
|
A comparatively small bulb branching laterally from a larger, currently primary one. |
perfoliate |
|
architecture |
foliaceous structure |
Having a sessile lamina (blade) that uninterruptedly encircles the bearing axis, which thus passes through it at some point within the margin. See also amplexicaulous, connate-perfoliate. |
basicauliramous |
|
architecture |
plant |
Having the stem(s) branching at or near the base. See also basiramous. |