GLOSSARY. 187 



Medullary rays. The plates radiating from pith to bark in ex- 

 ogenous stems: appearing as lines, sometimes heavy (oak), 

 in cross section. 



Megalospores. The large or female spores of fernworts. 



Membranaceous. Thin and dry, in contrast with green and 

 leaf-like, as applied to scales or bracts. 



-merous. Parted. A suffix used to indicate the number of 

 sepals, petals etc. in the flower; as trimerous (3-merous), 

 tetramerous (4-merous), pentamerous (5-merous). 



Microspores. The small or male spores of fernworts. 



Midrib. The strong main vein running from base to apex in a 

 pinnately veined leaf, like that of chestnut or apple. 



Milky. Colored, usually white, when applied to the sap of trees. 



Monadelphous. Stamens united by their lower part into a ring 

 or tube, as in hollyhock. 



Monocotyledons. Angiosperms with a single seed-leaf (smilax). 



Monoecious. Imperfect flowers, the sexes on one individual 

 (oak). 



Monopodial. Continuing the growth from a terminal bud, as 

 applied to twigs : in contrast with sympodial. 



Moss-like. Used loosely to indicate a compact or matted habit 

 of growth associated with small overlapping leaves. 



Mucilaginous. Exemplified by the bark of slippery elm, the 

 leaves of sassafras, etc., when chewed. 



Mucronate. With a short stiff abrupt point. 



Mucronulate. Minutely mucronate. 



Naked. Without calyx or corolla, as applied to flowers : without 

 specialized protecting scales, as applied to buds. 



Nectar-glands. Glands that secrete a sugary fluid ; as in many 

 flowers, on the leaf-stalk of the plum., on the calyx of paeony 

 and trumpet-creeper, in the angles between the midrib and 

 principal veins of the lower side of a catalpa leaf, on the 

 teeth of an ailanthus leaf, etc. Ants frequently point the. 

 way to theta 



Needle. A common name for the phylloid shoot or "leaf" of 

 pines. 



Needle-like. Long, slender, and about as thick as broad. 



