GLOSSARY OF BOTANICAL TERMS 



or the use of energy (as opposed to 

 anabolism) ; the destructive or dis- 

 integrating life forces. Catabolism 

 is the negative phase of metabolism. 

 Frequently spelled katabolism. 



Catkin: A bracted, pendulous spike; 

 an ament. (Fig. 3.) 



Caudate: Provided with a tail (Latin, 

 cauda ) . 



Caudex: The trunk or woody axis of 

 a tree; the woody base of a peren- 

 nial plant. 



Caulescent: Producing a stem above 

 ground. The opposite of acau- 

 lescent. 



Cauline: Of or pertaining to the stem; 

 cauline leaves are leaves which are 

 borne on the main plant stem or its 

 branches. 



Cell: A chamberlike part or organ; 

 the structural unit of an organism, 

 whether plant or animal. A cell is 

 usually microscopic and largely con- 

 sists of protoplasm surrounded by a 

 cell wall; its most essential part is 

 the nucleus which is fundamental 

 in the growth, metabolism, and re- 

 production of both plants and ani- 

 mals. 



Centrifugal: Proceeding from the cen- 

 ter to the outer edge; the order of 

 flowering in a cyme (or other de- 

 terminate inflorescence) is cen- 

 trifugal. 



Centripetal: Proceeding from the outer 

 edge or periphery inwards to the 

 center. In an indeterminate in- 

 florescence (as a corymb, panicle, 

 raceme, spike, and umbel) the order 

 of flowering is centripetal, the out- 

 ermost or lowest flowers opening 

 first and setting seed first, and the 

 innermost or uppermost flowers and 

 fruit maturing last. 



Cernuous: Nodding. 



Cf.: Compare (Latin, confere). Used 

 especially to indicate that authentic 

 material of the plant in question is 

 not at present available. 



Chalaza: That part where the integu- 

 ments, or coats, of the ovule cohere 

 with each other and with the nu- 

 cleus (Greek, pimple or sty). 



Chartaceous: Papery or paperlike in 

 texture. 



Chlorophyll: The complex nitrogenous 

 substance, occurring only in chloro- 

 plasts, responsible for the prevalent 

 green hue of the vegetable kingdom. 

 In algae and certain other plants 

 the green hue is frequently obscured 

 by other pigments. Chlorophyll is 

 essential to the formation of starch 

 and other carbohydrates in plants 

 and, if absent altogether, the plant 

 is a parasite or saprophyte, depend- 



ing on chlorophyll-bearing hosts for 

 its existence. Sometimes spelled 

 chlorophyl. 



Chloroplast: A minute flattened body 

 occurring in a cell and containing 

 the chlorophyll. Chloroplasts are 

 found only in cells exposed to light 

 and containing iron. 



Choripetalous: Having each of the 

 petals separate and distinct. For 

 example, the corolla of a geranium 

 is choripetalous. Polypetalous is a 

 synonym but has been largely re- 

 placed, chiefly because it implies 

 that the petals also are numerous. 



Chorisepalous : Having the sepals dis- 

 tinct rather than united (gamosep- 

 alous) ; largely synonymous with 

 polysepalous. Thus, geraniums 

 have the calyx composed of five dis- 

 tinct sepals (chorisepalous, or poly- 

 sepalous), but mints have a united, 

 somewhat bell-like, gamosepalous 

 calyx, the five sepals being indicated 

 by five terminal teeth. 



Ciliate: Hair fringed; provided with 

 eyelashlike hairs on the edge, or 

 margin. (Latin, ciliuni, eyelid.) 



Cinereous: Ashen; said especially of 

 an ashen-gray pubescence. 



Circinate: Coiled spirally in one plane, 

 like a watch spring or bishop's 

 crozier, as in an 

 unfolding fern ^^W 



frond; partly 

 synonym ous 

 with scorpioid. 

 (Fig. 17.) 



Circumscissile: 

 Dehiscing o r 

 opening trans- 

 versely, the top 

 separating like 

 a lid, as, for ex- 

 ample, the cap- 

 sule or pod 

 (pyxis) of por- 

 tulacas. 



Clavate: Club 

 shaped. 



Cleft: Cut about halfway to the mid- 

 vein or base, especially when the in- 

 cision is sharp ; said, for example, 

 of leaves. (Fig. 18.) 



Cm.: Centimeter (s), approximately 

 two-fifths of an inch. 



Collenchyma: A tissue of elastic, non- 

 woody, frequently elongated 

 strengthening cells; plant tissue 

 composed of cells thickened at the 

 angles. It contains a large amount 

 of protoplasm and is very charac- 

 teristic of actively growing (espe- 

 cial young and tender) vegetative 

 parts. 



Figure 17. — Circi- 

 nate frond of a 

 fern unfolding in 

 early spring 



