414 Introduction to Botany. 



Mi'cropyle (Gr. mikros, small; pyle, a gate) : the passage through the coats 

 of an ovule through which the pollen tube enters; the spot on or open- 

 ing through the coats of a seed corresponding to or identical with the 

 opening of the ovule. P'ig. 88. 



Mi'crospore (Gr. mikros, small; spora, seed) : the smaller spore of certain 

 Pteridophytes, which gives rise to the male gametophyte; the pollen 

 grain of Spermatophytes. 



Microspor'ophyll (Gr. mikros -f- spora -f phyllon, a leaf): a leaf bearing 

 microspores; a stamen. 



Mid'rib : the central or main rib of a leaf. 



Monadel'phous : (Gr. monos, one; adelphos, brother) : applied to stamens 

 when united by their filaments into a tube or column. Fig. 290. 



Monil'iform (L. monile, necklace; forma, shape) : like a string of beads. 



Monocotyle'don (Gr. monos, one; kotyledon, a hollow) : a plant having but 

 one cotyledon. 



Monocotyle'donous: having but a single cotyledon. 



Monce'cious, pr. mo-ne'shus (Gr. monos, one; oikos, household) : having 

 stamens and pistils in separate flowers on the same plant. 



Mucilag'inous : slimy; composed of mucilage. 



Mu'cro (L. mucro, sword) : a sharp and abrupt tip. 



Mu'cronate : ending abruptly with a sharp point. Fig. 250. 



Mul'tifid (L. mttltus, many; findere, to split) : cleft into many segments. 



Mul'tiple fruit : a fruit consisting of many ripened pistils consolidated into a 

 mass, as in the mulberry. Fig. 327. 



Mu'ricate (L. murex, a pointed stone) : rough with short hard points. 



Muric'ulate : finely muricate. 



Na'ked : destitute of covering, as buds without scales. 



Na'piform (L. napus, turnip; forma, shape) : turnip-shaped. Fig. 216. 



Na'tant (L. natans, swimming) : floating submerged in water. 



Nec'tar (Gr. nektar, the drink of the gods) : a sweetish fluid excreted from 



some parts of a flower for the attraction of insects. 



Nectariferous (nectar + ~L.ferre, to bear or produce) : nectar-bearing. 

 Nec'tary : any part of a flower which secretes and excretes nectar. 

 Nec'tar recep'tacle : a part of a flower into which the nectar is excreted and 



conserved, as the spur of violets and larkspurs. 

 Nerva'tion : the manner in which the nerves are arranged in a leaf. 

 Nerve : a slender unbranched vein or rib. 

 Neu'ter (L. neuter, neither the one nor the other) : sexless, as a flower 



having neither stamens nor pistil. 

 Neu'tral : applied to flowers having neither stamens nor pistil. 



