VOCABULARY. 
155 
flower, generally referring to the pe- 
tals only. 
dntiscorbu'tics. Substances which, cure 
eruptions. 
Apet'alous. (Prom without, and pet- 
alum^ a petal.) Having no petals or 
corollas; such flowers are termed 
incom'plete ; such as are destitute of 
either stamens or pistils are called 
imperfect- 
Apet'alcB. A class formed by some of 
the ancierxt botanists, including plants 
destitute of corollas. 
A'pex. The top or summit. 
Aphyl'lous. (From «, without, and phyl- 
Lon, a leaf) Destitute of leaves. 
Aphyl'lcB is the name given by an an- 
cient botanist to a class of plants 
without leaves, comprising garlic, 
rush, mushrooms, &c. 
Apothe'cm. The fructifications of the 
lichens. 
Appeti'daged. Having bracts, thorns, 
prickles, &c. 
Appres'sed. Closely pressed ", as leaves 
against the stem, (fee. 
Approx'imate. Growing near each other. 
Ap'terous. Without wings. 
Aquat'ic. (From <z5'i6a, water.) Grow- 
ing in, or near water. AquaticeBWdLS, 
an ancient name for a class including 
all plants which grow in water. 
Ar'bor. A tree ; a perennial plant, 
which rises to a great height. Most 
trees spring from seeds having two 
cotyledons ; they are therefore called 
dicotyledonous plants. The ancient 
botanists divided plants into trees and 
herbs ; but this distinction is too vague 
to form the basis of classification. 
Arbo'rens. Like a tree. 
Arbusti'vus. (From arbustum, a shrub.) 
An ancient class of plants contain- 
ing shrubs; as the myrtle, mock-or- 
ange {pjfiiladelphus,) &c. 
Arch'ed. Curving above, vaulted. 
Ar'cuate. (From arous^ a bow.) Bent 
like a bow. 
Arena'rius. Growing in sand. 
Argen'teus. Silver-coloured. 
Ar'id. Dry, 
A'ril, {ariilus.) The external coat or 
covering of seeds which, drying, falls 
otf spontaneously. 
Aris'tate. ;(Prom areo, to be dried.) 
Awned, ending a bristle. 
Aro'ides. So called from ar%m. 
Arms, {arma.) Offensive weapons. 
Plants are said to be armed, when 
they are furnished with prickles, 
thorns, &c. 
Aromat'ic. Sweet-scented. 
Aromat'ica. The name of a class of 
Dioscorides, Clusius, Bauhin, and 
.3^* 
some other botanists, who arranged 
plants according to their virtues and 
sensible qualities. 
Ar'rcw-form. Shaped like an arrow- 
head, the hind lobes acute. 
Artic'ulated. Jointed ; as in the culm 
or stem of the grasses. 
Arundina'ceous. (From Arundo, a 
reed.) Resembling reeds. 
Arven'sis. Growing in cultivated fields. 
Ascend'ing. Rising from the ground 
obliquelys 
AscidHsate. Pitcher-form. From the 
Greek askidion, a bottle or pitcher. 
Asperifo'lius. Rough-leaved. 
Astr in' gents. Substances which con- 
dense the fibres. 
AUen'uated. Gradually diminished or 
tapering. 
Auric' ulaie. Having appendages re- 
sembling ears. 
Awl-form. Sharp at the point, and 
curved to one side. 
Awn. A short stiff bristle 
Ax'il. The angle between a leaf and 
stem on the upper side, 
Ax'illary, Grov/ing out of the axils.; 
leaves are said to be axillary when 
they proceed from the angle formed 
by the stem and branch. 
Ax'is. The elongated part of a petiole, 
upon which are att8.ched many flow- 
ers, A centre. A line, real or ima- 
ginary, through any body. 
B 
Ba'ca. Aberry. It is a pulpy pericarp^ 
enclosing seeds without capsules. A 
berry is said to be proper, when it is 
formed of the pericarp or seed vessel ; 
improper or singular, when it is form- 
ed of any other parts. In the mul- 
berry and rose, a large, fleshy and 
succulent calyx becomes a berry. In 
the strawberry, a berry is formed of 
the common receptacle; in the rasp- 
berry, of a seed, 
Bacciferus. Bearing berries. 
Ban'ner. The upper petal in a papilio- 
naceous flower. 
Barb. A straight process, armed with 
teeth pointing backwards. 
Barba'tus. Bearded. 
Bark. The covering of vegetables, 
consisting of several parts ; as cuti- 
cle, cellular integument, &c. The 
bark consists of as many layers as 
the tree on which it grows has years: 
a new la3^er being formed from the 
cambium, or from the alburnum, ev- 
ery year. The newest layer of bark 
is called liber. 
Bar'ren. Producing no fruit; contaoD- 
ing stamens only. . 
