GLOSSARY 
Abortive. Defective or barren. 
Achene. A small, dry, hard, one-celled, and one-seeded fruit, with 
tightly fitting and valveless covering. 
Acute. Sharp-pointed. 
Alternate (leaves). Not opposite; arranged singly at different heights 
on the axis. 
Annual. A plant which matures fruit in one year. 
Anther. The part of a stamen which contains the pollen. 
Appressed. Lying flatly and close against. 
Ascending. Curving upward or rising obliquely. 
Auricle. An ear-shaped lobe or appendage. 
Awl-shaped. Tapering from the base to a rigid point. 
Awn. A very slender but stiff and bristle-like appendage. 
Axil. The angle formed by the junction of a leaf or branch with the 
stem. 
Axillary. Situated in an axil. 
Barbed. Tipped with sharp, rigid, and reflexed points. 
Beaked. Having a tapering, prolonged tip. 
perry: A simple fruit which is wholly pulpy or fleshy except the outer 
Biennial. Of two years’ duration. 
Blade. The flat, expanded part of a leaf. 
Bract. A more or less modified leaf subtending a flower, or a flower 
cluster, or sometimes borne on a stem. 
Bulb. An underground leaf-bud with fleshy scales or coats. 
Bulbous. Bearing bulbs. 
Calyx. The outer floral envelope. 
Canescent. Hoary with fine gray hairs. 
Capillary. Hair-like. 
Capitate. Shaped like a head. 
Capsule. A dry fruit of two or more carpels, opening usually by valves 
or teeth. 
Carpel. A single ovary, or one part of a compound ovary. 
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