EXPLANATION OF BOTANICAL TERMS 153 



deciduous, falling off in autumn. 



drupe, a nut (or stone) enclosed in pulp. 



elliptical, of oval (or egg) shape, with both ends alike. 



floret, one of the small flowers composing a composite flower. 



gland, a cell containing a secretion. 



habitat, the natural locality of a plant. 



herbaceous, having a succulent (or juicy) stem. 



hispid, bristly. 



imbricated, overlapping (like tiles on a roof) : Lat. imbrex, 

 a tile. 



indigenous, native, or growing wild. 



involucre, a whorl or set of bracts ; an umbel. 



legume, a longish pod without a partition. 



lobe, a division of a leaf. 



ovary, the lower part of the pistil producing the embryo seed. 



ovules, the embryo seed. 



palmate, divided into five (or more) lobes. 



papilionaceous, butterfly-shaped : Lat. papilio, a butterfly. 



parasitic, growing on another plant. 



peduncle, the stalk of a flower. 



perianth, calyx and corolla combined so as to be indis- 

 tinguishable. 



persistent, not falling off early (not caducous). 



petals, the parts that make up the corolla; the inner 

 (coloured) leaves of a flower. 



pistil, the fertile organ of a plant. 



pollen, the fertilizing powder, contained in the anther. 



scion, a creeping shoot. 



sepals, the leaves of the calyx (usually green). 



sessile, having no stalk : Lat. sessum, to sit. 



stamen, the organ of a flower which produces pollen. 



tap-root, the main root of a plant, growing downwards. 



tendril, a twisted slender stalk bearing neither leaf nor 

 flower : by it the plant attaches itself for support. 



umbelliferous, having flower stalks radiating from a common 

 centre. 



