GLOSSARY 



SESSILE (from Latin diminutive for a seat): stemless. 

 Leaves of the Field Chickweed (Cerastium arvense) are 

 sessile. 



SPATULATE (from Latin diminutive for a spade) : spade- 

 shaped. Basal leaves of the Bushy Aster (Aster dumosus) 

 are spatulate. 



SPIKE (from Latin for an ear of corn) : an arrangement of 

 stemless or practically stemless flowers around a main stem. 

 Flowers of the Common Plantain (Plantago Major) are in 

 a spike. 



STAMEN (from Latin for a thread or fibre) : the organ of 

 the flower that produces the pollen. It consists of an 

 anther and a filament. Stamens of the Turks-Cap (Lilium 

 superbum) have long, coloured filaments which are capped 

 with nodding anthers. 



STIPULE (from Latin for a stalk) : one of a pair of small 

 leaves that occur on many plants, borne at the base of 

 the principal leaves, and usually deciduous. Stipules of 

 the Honey Balls (Cephalanthus occidentalis) fall early. 



STYLE (from Greek for a pillar) : the slender stalk-like part 

 of the pistil, the passage-way for the pollen grains from 

 the stigma to the ovary. Style of the Bird's-foot Violet 

 (Viola pedata) is bright orange. 



UMBEL, UMBELLATE (from Latin diminutive for a shade) : 

 a cluster of flowers, of which the stems come from the same 

 point at the end of the main stem. Flowers of the Water 

 Pennywort (Hydrocotyle umbellata) are in umbels. 



VERTICILLATE (from Latin diminutive for a whirl) : ar- 

 ranged like the spokes of a wheel around a main axis. 

 Leaves of the Swamp Milkwort (Polygala cruciata) are 

 verticillate. 



WHORL, WHORLED (from Greek to whirl): arranged in a 

 circle around the stem like the spokes of a wheel. Leaves 

 of the Common Bed-straw (Galium Claytoni] are whorled. 



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