SECTION V. 

 VOCABULARY, 



OR 



EXPLANATION OF BOTANICAL TERMS. 



A, in composition, signifies privation, 

 or destitute of; as acaulis, referring 

 to a plant without a caulis or stem. 



Abor'tive flower. Falling off without 

 producing fruit. 



stamens, not furnished with an- 

 thers. 



pistil. Defective in some cs.sen- 



tial part. 



seed. Not becoming perfect, 



through want of the fertilizing influ- 

 ence of the pollen. 



Abrupt leaf. A pinnate leaf with an 

 old or terminal leafet. 



Acal'yces. (From a, signifying without, 

 and calyx, a flower cup.) A class in 

 an ancient method of arrangement, 

 consisting of plants without a calyx. 



Acau'ks. (From a wanting, and caulis, 

 a stem.) The 20th class in Magno- 

 lius's method, including plants with- 

 out stems. 



Acer'ose leaf. Linear and permanent, 

 as in the pine. 



AcAe'nium, one of Mirbel's genera of 

 fruits. 



Acic'ular. Needle-shaped. 



Acina'ciform. Cimeter-shaped. 



A'cinus. A small berry which, with 

 many others, composes the fruits of 

 the mulberry and raspberry ; the plu- 

 ral is acini. 



Acotyled"o7i,ous. (From a without, and 

 cotyledon, a seed lobe.) Plants desti- 

 tute of seed lobes, and which conse- 

 quently put forth no seminal or seed- 

 leaves, as mosses and ferns. 



Acu'leus. (From acus, a needle.) A 

 priclde, or sharp point; common to 

 the rose and raspberry. 



Accum'bent. The corcle lying against 

 the back of the cotyledons. 



Acu'viinate. Taper-pointed, the point 

 mostly curved towards one edge of 

 the leaf, like an awl. 



Acute. Less gradually sharp-pointed 

 than acuminate. An obtuse angle, 

 or any other mathematical angle, is 

 acute in botanical language. 



Adcl'phous. (From the Greek adclphos, 

 a brother or an equal.) Applied to 

 plants whose stamens are united by 

 their filaments, whether in one or 

 two sets. 



Adnate'. Growing together. 



Adversifo'lia;. (From adversus, oppo- 

 site, and folium, a leaf) Plants 

 whose leaves stand opposite to each 

 other, on the same stem or branch. 

 Name of the 5th class in Sauvage'.s 

 Metkodus folioruvi] as exemplified in 

 the labiate flowers. 



.^sti'vales. (From o'sias, summer.) 

 Plants which blossom in summer. 

 The second division of Du Pas's 

 method, with reference to the four 

 seasons of the year, consisting of 

 herbs which blossom in summer. 



A'fora. (From a, without, and fores, a 

 door.) Having no doors or valves. 

 The name of a class in Camerius's 

 method, consisting of plants whose 

 pericarp or seed-vessel is not furnish- 

 ed with internal valves. 



Aga'moiis. (From a, without, and ga- 

 mos, marriage.) A term derived 

 from the indelicate notions of the 

 last century, respecting the sexual 

 distinctions of plants; and which, 

 whatever analogies may actually ex- 

 ist between the vegetable and animal 

 kingdoms, should as far as possible be 

 excluded from the science. Were it 

 to be otherwise, the study of Botany 

 ought to be limited to the medical 

 profession. Of all studies, that of 

 Botany should not be accompanied by 

 aught that might pain or disgust a 

 delicate mind. Plants without any 

 visible stamens or pistils arc by 

 French botanists called agamous. 



Ages of plants. Ephemeral are such 

 as spring up, blossom and ripen their 

 seed in a few hours or days ; anniuil 

 live a few months or one summer; bi- 

 ennial, spring up one summer and 

 die the following; pereimial, live an 

 indefinite period. 



