BOTANICAL TERMS AND DEFINITIONS. XIV 
Decurrent, (Decurrens) applied to sessile leaves when the base 
runs down the stem and forms a border or wing ; applied 
also to stipules when extending downwards along the 
stem. 
Decussated, (Decussafus) applied to branches growing in pairs, 
and alternately crossing each other at right angles ; applied 
also to leaves alternately opposite. 
Deltoid, (Deltoides) or trowel-shaped, applied to leaves having 
the form of a trowel, or the Greek letter A. 
Defending, (Muniens) applied to the position of leaves in sleep; 
a leaf is said to be defending when it takes an opposite 
^ direction from the one above, and falling down, forms a 
kind of cap, protecting whatever lies underneath. 
Demersum, vide Submerged. 
Dentate, or Toothed, {Dmtatum) leaves are so called when the 
border is beset with horizontal projecting points or teeth, 
with rather a distant space between each, and of the same 
consistence as the substance of the leaf itself; applied 
also to stipules having spreading teeth about the margin, 
remote from each other. 
Depressed, (Depressum) leaves are so called when flattened verti- 
cally ; radical leaves are called depressed when they are 
pressed close to the ground. 
Diamond-shaped, or Rhomboid, {Rhombeum, Rhomboideum) 
leaves are so called when approaching to a square, having 
four sides, of which those opposite are equal ; the four 
angles are generally two obtuse and two acute. 
Dichotomous, or Forked, (Dichotomus) applied to stems divid- 
ing into two parts : example, the misletoe. 
Dicotyledonous, {Dicotyledones) plants are so called that have 
two cotyledons or seminal leaves. 
PiFFUSA Panicula, vide Spreading. 
DiFFUSus Caulis, vide Spreading. 
Digitate, or Fingered, (Digitatnm) applied to a species of 
compound leaf, composed of two or more leaflets. A leaf 
to correspond with the name should have five leaflets ; 
but botanists include under the name Digitate, the binate 
and ternate, and those leaves also which are composed of 
more than five leaflets ; for example, the horse-chesnut, 
which has seven leaflets. 
DiGBCiOUS, {Dioecia) applied to plants when the barren and fertile 
flowers grow from two separate roots. 
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