SECTION y. 
VOCABULARY, 
OB 
EXPLANATION OF BOTANICAL TERMa 
A, in composition, signifies privation, 
or destitute ol"; as acaulis^ referring, 
to a plant wilhoat a caulis or stem. 
Abor'tive flower. Falling oif without 
producing fruit. 
stamens, not furnished with an- 
thers. 
pistil. Defective in some essen- 
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 signifying without, 
and calyx, a flower cup.) A class in 
'an ancient method of arrangement, 
consisting of plants without a calyx. 
AcoAi'les. (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. 
Acke'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''o7mis. <From a without, and 
cotyledon, a seed lobe.) Plants desti- 
tute of seed lobes, and v/hich conse- 
quently put forth no seminal or seed- 
leaves, as mosses and ferns. 
Acu'leus. (From acus, a needle.) A 
prickle, or sharp point; common to 
the rose and raspberry. 
Accum'beTd. The corcle lying against 
the back of the cotyledons. 
Acu'minate, 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 
scute in botanical language. 
Adel'phous. (From the Greek adelpTios^ 
a brother or an equal) Applied t® 
plants whose stamens are united by 
their filaments, whether in one or 
two sets. 
Adnate'. Growing together. 
Adversif-o'licR. (From adversus, oppo- 
site, and folium., a leaf) Plants 
whose leaves stand • opposite to eack 
other, on the same stem or branch. 
Name of the 5th class in Sauvage's 
Metkodus foliorum^ as exemplified ia 
the labiate flowers. 
JEsti'vales. (From ccsias, summer.) 
Plants which blossom in summer. 
The second division of Du Pas's 
method, with refierence 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'nwus. (From a, without, and go- 
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 are 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 ; annual 
live a few months or one summer ; bi- 
ennial, spring up one summer and 
die the following; perennial, live aa 
indefinite period. 
