204 
BOTANICAL TERMS. 
tical, tapering to each end, as in the leaf of 
Plant ago lanceolata. 
Languette ; a term applied to the ligide. 
Leptophyllous ; slender-leaved. 
Litjulate (ligulatus) ; strap-shaped, that is, 
narrow, moderately long, and the edges pa- 
rallel, as in the leaves of some species of 
amaryllis. 
Ligule (ligula) ; a [memhranous process 
between the sheath and leaves in grasses. 
Limbus; the same as lamina. 
Linear (linearis) ; narrow, short, the edges 
parallel, as in the leaf of the yew tree. 
Lorate (loratus); same as ligulate. 
Lunate (lunatus) ; crescent-shaped, or hav- 
ing the figure of a half-moon, as in Passijlora 
lunata : lunulate has nearly the same meaning. 
Lyrate (Jyratus) ; shaped like a lyre, that 
is, obovate, with several lobes or sinuses on 
each side, gradually diminishing in size to the 
base, as in the leaf of Oeum urbanum. 
Lyriform ; same as lyrate. 
Margin; the edges of leaves are called 
the margins ; their variation in this respect is 
very considerable. 
Mesophyllttm ; the cellular tissue of the leaf; 
the parenchyma. 
Multijid (multifidus) ; when a pinnated leaf 
is very much divided, in other words, when 
the segments into which a pinnated leaf is 
split, are very numerous. 
Nerves ; the strong ribs in leaves (where 
there are more than one passing from the 
base to the apex — which is called the midrib), 
are called nerves ; the leaves of the common 
plaintain, or rib-grass, will illustrate this term. 
Netted (reticulatus) ; when the veins of the 
leaf cross like lace- work, and project a little 
from the surface ; this may be observed in the 
leaves of Salix reticulata, melastoma, &c. 
Oblique (obliquus) ; applied to veins when 
they spread at an angle of between 90 and 
120 degrees. 
Oblong (oblongus) ; elliptic, but obtuse at 
both ends, as in the leaf of the hazel nut. 
Ochrea; stipules surrounding or sheathing the 
stem, in the way of those of the polygonum. 
Operculum ; the lid of the pitcher, with 
which some leaves are furnished ; the pitcher 
is supposed to be a modification of the petiole, 
and the operculum of the blade, as seen in 
the ordinai-y state of leaves. 
Opposite ; applied to leaves when placed in 
pairs, exactly opposite each other on the stem. 
Orbiczdar (orbicularis) ; perfectly circular, 
that is, equal in length and breadth, with an 
even circular circumference, as in the leaf of 
Cotyledon orbiculare: precise examples of this 
form are rare. 
Oval (ovalis) ; elliptic, but acute at both 
ends, as in Cornus sanguinea. 
Ovate (ovatus) ; egg-shaped, elliptical, 
broadest at the lower end, so as to approach 
in figure the longitudinal section of an egg. 
Many leaves are of this figure, or present 
modifications of it. 
Pagina ; a term applied to the surface of 
a leaf. 
Pal»iate(palmatus); resembling the human 
hand, that is, having several (five) lobes, the 
midribs of which meet at a common point, as 
in the common passion-flower. 
Palmatifid (palmatifidus); a radiate-veined 
or palmate leaf, divided by deep fissures. 
Panduriform (pandurifurmis) ; fiddle- 
shaped, obovate, with a deep recess or sinus 
on each side, below the middle, as in the 
leaf of Rumex pulcher and Jatiopha jpanduri- 
folia. 
Parabolical (parabolicus) ; between ovate 
and elliptical, with the apex obtuse, as in 
Amaranthus Blitum. 
Pedate(pedatus); this differs from palmate, 
in having the two lateral segments themselves 
divided into smaller segments, as the leaf of 
Arum dracuncidus. 
Peltinervia ; a term of the same significa- 
tion as radiate-veined. 
Pennivenium ; feather-veined, when the 
veins of a reticulated leaf pass in direct lines 
from the midrib to the margin. 
Penninervum ; same as pennivenium. 
Pericladium ; applied to a sheathing 
petiole, when the lower part only is so, as in 
umbelliferous plants. 
Perich&tium ; the calyx of mosses, or 
small imbricated scales or leaves which sur- 
round the stalk of the fruit. 
Petiole; the foot-stalk which supports a 
leaf ; some leaves are without a petiole, and 
are then said to be stalkless, or sessile. 
P etiolate ; attached to a stem by means of 
a petiole or stalk. 
Petiolules ; a term applied to the little 
stalklets supporting the leaflets in bipinnated 
and tripinnated leaves, &c. 
Perfoliate ( perfoliatus) ; when the lobes at 
the base of winged leaves cohere with the 
stem and unite round it, causing the leaf to 
appear as though pierced by the stem, as in 
Beupleurum perfoliatum. 
Phyllodia ; leaf-stalks, a good deal de- 
veloped, and assuming the functions of leaves. 
Most of the so-called leaves of the greenhouse 
acacias are phyllodia : when the plants are 
very young they bear leaflets. Both their 
surfaces are alike, and they usually present 
their margins — not their surfaces, as is usual — 
to the earth and heavens. 
P ileus ; the cap, or umbrella-shaped organ 
that surmounts the stipes of an agaricus, or 
mushroom. 
Pinnated (pinnatus) ; a form of leaf where 
several leaflets, or little leaves, are ranged alonjc 
