cu.o.-saky. 



Operculum. The lid which covers tiie capsules of mosses. 

 Opposite. Standing directly against each other on opposite 



sides of the stem ; as the leaves of the Lilac. 

 Orbicular. Circular. 



Oral. Elliptical ; as the leaves of Magnolia glauca. 

 Urate. Egg shaped. Oval with the loner end largest; as the 



leaves of the Pear-tree. 



P 

 Palate. A large obtuse projection which closes the throat of a 



personate flower ; as in Toadflax. 

 Paleaceous. Chaffy. 

 Palmate Hand shaped. Deeply divided into spreading and 



somewhat equal segments; as the leaves of the Castor-oil 



plant (Rieinus communis.) 

 Pq&duriform. Contracted in the middle like a violin. 

 Panicle. A loose, irregular bunch of flowers, with subdivided 



branches ; as in Meadow-gra^s (Poa pralensis.) 

 Papilionaceous. Having an irregular corolla like the pea blos- 

 som ; consisting of four petals, of which the uppermost is 



called the vexillum or banner ; the two lateral ones, aloe or 



icings .- and the lower one, commonly boat shaped, the 



carina or keel. Mostly belonging to the class Diadelphia. 

 Pappus. The down of seeds ; as that of the Dandelion. A 



feathery appendage. 

 Parasitic. Glowing on another plant and drawing nourishment 



from it ; as the Misseltoe. 

 Parenchyma. The cellular substance of vegetables. 

 Partial. This term is applied to small or constituent parts in 



distinction from general. 

 Partition. The dividing wall or dissepiment in seed vessels. 

 Parted. Deeply divided ; more than cleft. 

 Pectinate. Like the teeth of a comb. Intermediate between 



fimbriate and pinnatifid. 

 Pedate. Having a central segment or leaf which is simple, and 



two lateral ones which are compound. Viola pedata. 

 Pedicel The ultimate branch of a peduncle A little stalk. 

 Peduncle. A stem bearing flowers or fruit exclusively; as the 



Cherry stalk. 

 Pellicle. A very thin stratum or coat. 

 Peltcde. Having the stalk attached to some part of the surface 



or disk, and not to the margin , as in Nasturtium, May-apple 



(Podophyllum), &c. 

 Pendulous. Hanging down. 



Pencilled. Ending like a painter's pencil or brush. 

 Perennial. Lasting more than two years. 

 Perfect flower. One which possesses stamens and pistils, and 



produces fruit. 



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