GLOSSARY 



OF 



BOTANICAL AND GENERAL HORTICULTURAL TERMS AND PRACTICES, 



SYNOPSES OF THE NATURAL ORDERS, ETC. 



A. In composition, a, privative, is used in 

 Botany as a negative, and signifies with- 

 out; as, aphyllous, without leaves; acaulis, 

 without a stem. 



Abbreviate. Used in comparative descrip- 

 tions to indicate that one part is shorter 

 than another. 



Aberrant. Something which differs from 

 the customary or usual structure, or de- 

 viates from the natural or direct way. 

 Also, a group of plants which stands in- 

 termediate, as it were, between two other 

 groups; e. g., Fumariacece, which are by 

 some regarded as an aberrant group of 

 Papaveracece. The term is applied in Nat- 

 ural History to species or genera that de- 

 viate from the usual characters of their 

 neighbors. 



Abnormal. Opposed to the usual structure. 

 Thus, stamens standing opposite to petals, 

 and nowhere else, as in Rhamnads, (which 

 see,) are abnormal, it fceing usual for sta- 

 mens to be alternate with petals, if equal to 

 them in number. Leaves growing in pairs 

 from the same side of a stem, as in Atro- 

 pa Belladonna, and flower stalks adhe- 

 rent to the midrib of a bract, as in Tilia, 

 are also abnormal 



Aboriginal. Plants which have their origin 

 or spontaneous production in any coun- 

 try. The same as indigenous. 



Abortion. Signifies an imperfect develop- 

 ment of any given organ. 



Abortive. Imperfectly developed; as abor- 

 tive stamens, which consist of a filament 

 only; abortive petals, which are mere 

 bristles or scales. 



Abraded. Rubbed or worn off. 



Abrupt. Suddenly terminating; as, abrupt- 

 ly pinnated, when several pairs of leaf- 

 lets are formed without any intermediate 

 one at the end. 



Absorption. The function by which the 

 spongioles imbibe the moisture which 

 becomes sap. 



Abstergent. Cleansing, having a cleansing 

 quality. 



Acanthacece. An order of monopetalous ex- 

 ogens, belonging to Lindley's Bignonial 

 Alliance, and nearly related to Scrophu- 

 lariads, (which see.) In tropical regions 

 they are very common, constituting a large 

 part of the herbage. Nevertheless the 

 genus Acanthus is found in Greece, and 

 one species inhabits the United States. 

 In a majority of cases Acanthacece are to 

 be recognized by the presence of large 

 leafy bracts, in the axils of which the 

 flowers are partly concealed, and also by 

 their calyx being composed of deeply im- 

 bricated sepals forming a whorl. But 

 their most exact difference from other 



