VOCABULARY. 



417 



Aggregate flower is erected on peduncles Ang 

 or footstalks, which all have one com- 

 mon receptacle on the stem ; they some- 

 times have one common calyx, and are 

 sometimes separately furnished with a 

 calyx. 



Ai'grctte. See egret. 



A'la. A Latin word signifying a wing. 

 It is sometimes used to express the angle 

 formed by the stem with the branch or 

 leaf. Linnaeus and some others use the 

 term a/a, as the name of a membrane, 

 affixed to some species of seeds which 

 serves as a wing to raise them into the 

 air, and thus promotes their dispersion. 



A' la. The two lateral or side petals of a 

 papilionaceous flower. 



Albu'men. Tire farinaceous, fleshy or 

 horny substance, which constitutes the 

 chief bulk of monocotyledonous seeds ; 

 as wheat, rye, &c. 



Albur'num. (From albus, white.) The 

 soft white substance, which in trees is 

 found between the liber, or inner bark 

 and the wood, and becoming solid, in 

 progress of time is converted into wood. 

 From its colour and comparative soft- 

 ness, it has beeri styled the fat of trees. 

 It is called the sap wood, and is formed 

 by a deposite of the cambium or descend- 

 ing sap ; in one year it becomes wood ; 

 and a new layer of alburnum is again 

 formed by the descent of the cambium. 



Al ' gas. Flags ; these by Linnaeus com- 

 prise tUe plants of tUe order Hepatioa> 

 and Lichenes. 



Alpine. Growing naturally on high moun- 

 tains. 



Alter' nate. Branches, leaves, flowers, &c. 



, are alternate, when beginning at differ- 

 ent distances on the stem ; opposite, is 

 whea they commence at the same <" 

 tances, and base stands against base. 



Alter 'natcly pinnate leaf; When the leafets 

 are arranged alternately on each side of 

 the common footstalk or petiole. 



Alve'olate. Having cells which resemble 

 a honey-comb. 



Am'bitus. The outer rim of a frond, re- 

 ceptacle, &c. 



A'ment. Flowers collected on chaffy 

 scales, and arranged on a thread or slen- 

 der stalk ; these scales mixed with the 

 flowers resemble the chart" in an ear of 

 corn ; in the willow and poplar, an 

 ainent supports both staminate and pis- 

 tillate flowers on distinct roots. Flowers 

 supported by an ament are generally des- 

 titute of a corolla. 



Amplexicau'lis. Clasping the base of the Ap'te 

 stems. 



Analysis. To analyze a plant botanically, 

 is to ascertain its name, by observing its 

 organs, and comparing them with scien 

 tine descriptions of plants. 



Anrip'ctal. Having two sharp edges like 

 a sword. 



An'dria. Signifies stamen. 



Androg'ymous plants. Such as bear sta- 

 minate and pistillate flowers on the same 

 root ; as the oak and Indian corn ; such 

 plants belong to the class Monoecia. 



Angiocar'pus. Fungi bearing seeds inter- 

 nally. 



^iosper'mal. (From angio, a vessel, 

 and sperma, seed.) Plants whose seeds 

 are inclosed or covered. 



Angular. Forming angles ; when the 

 stems, calyxes, capsules, &c. have ridges 

 running lengthwise. 



Angustifo'lius. Nafrrow-leaved. 



Annual. A plant which lives but one 

 year. The herbage is often annual, 

 while the root is perennial ; in this case 

 the plant is said to be perennial. 



Annula'ted. Having a ring round the cap- 

 sules ; as in ferns ; or in mushrooms 

 having a ringed stipe. 



An'nulus. A ring. 



Anom'alous. (From a, without, and no- 

 mos, law.) Irregular, or whatever forms 

 an exception to a general rule. The 

 Hth class in Tournofort's method is call- 

 ed anomalce, including plants whose co- 

 rollas are composed of irregular and dis- 

 similar parts ; as the columbine, monk's 

 hood, violet, larkspur, &c. 



Anther. (From anthos, a flower, so called 

 as indicating its importance.) That part 

 of the stamen which contains the pollen ; 

 it is of various forms, as linear, awl- 

 shaped, heart-shaped, round, &c. ; it is 

 one celled, two celled,' &c. ; the anther 

 of the Tritilaria (crown imperial) has 

 four cells. 



Antherid' ium. A mass of pollen. 



Antherif'erous. Flowers bearing anthers 

 without filaments. 



Anthua. (From the Greek ant/ios.') A 

 flower generally referring to the petals 

 only. 



Antiscorbutics. Substances which cure 

 eruptions. 



Apet'alous. (From a, without, and peta- 

 lum, a petal.) Having no petals or co- 

 rollas ; such flowers are termed incom- 

 plete ; such as are destitute of either sta- 

 mens or pistils are called imperfect. 



Apet'alce. A class formed by some of the 

 ancient botanists, including plants desti- 

 tute of corollas. 



A'pex. The top or summit. 



Aphyl'lous. (From a, without, and phyl- 

 lon, a leaf.) Destitute of leaves. 



Aphyl'lcB is the name given by an ancient 

 botanist to a class of plants without 

 leaves, comprising -garlic, rush, mush- 

 rooms, &c. 



Appen'daged. Having bracts, thorns, 

 prickles, &c. 



Appres'sed. Closely pressed ; as leaves 

 against the stem, &c. 

 rox'imate. Growing near each other. 

 terous. Without wings. 



Aquat'ic. (From aqua, water.) Growing 

 in, or near water. Aquatica, was an 

 ancient name for a class including all 

 plants which grow in water. 



Ar'bor. A tree ; a perennial plant, which 

 rises to a great height, having a woody 

 stein. Most trees spring from seeds hav- 

 ing two cotyledons ; they are therefore 

 called dicotyledonous plants. The steins 

 of such plants are said to be exogenous, 

 that is, growing externally, new layers 

 of wood being every year formed under 

 the bark, around the outside of the old 

 wood. Palm trees are inonocotyledonous 



