BOTANICAL TERMS. 
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a common axis, where each stands on a little 
pedicel, or foot-stalk, as in the hyacinth. 
Rachis ; the axis of inflorescence ; the 
peduncle is so called when it proceeds nearly 
in a direct line from the base to the apex of 
the inflorescence: 7'achis is sometimes applied 
also to the petiole and midrib of the frond of 
a fern. 
Radii ; the pedicels which support partial 
umbels. 
Receptacle ; a flattened area on which the 
flowers of some plants are arranged ; when it 
is not fleshy, but surrounded by an involucre, 
it is called clinantliium, as in composite 
flowers ; if fleshy, but not enclosed, it is 
termed hypanthodium, as in the fig, and also 
in Dorstenia, a genus of curious stove plants. 
Ringent ; gaping ; when a labiate flower 
has a wide orifice, it is said to be gaping or 
ringent ; this is seen in Lamium. 
Rotate J wheel-shaped ; a monopetalous 
corolla, in which the tube is very short, and 
the limb spreading, as in Veronica. 
Sarcoma ; a term applied to the disk. 
Scape ; a peduncle, destitute of leaves, 
rising from the ground, and supporting several 
flowers at its apex, as in the cowslip, 
Scyphus ; a term applied to the appendage 
called corona, when it assumes the form of an 
undivided cup, as in the flowers of narcissus. 
Sepals; the divisions of the calyx, as dis- 
tinguished from petals, which are the divisions 
of the corolla. 
Sertidum ; a term applied by Richard to 
what is better known as a simple umbel. 
Seta; the awns attached to the flowers of 
grasses are so called when they are continuous 
with the apex of the glumes : the term is 
also applied to the hair-like stalks which sup- 
port the capsule of mosses. 
Spadix; a cluster of flowers closely arranged 
round a fleshy axis, enclosed in a spathe, as 
in palms. 
Spathe ; a large coloured bract, enclosing 
the spadix or inflorescence in palms and 
araceous plants. 
Spathella ; a term applied to the tracts or 
valves of which the flowers of grasses consist. 
Spermatocystidium ; a term applied to the 
anther. 
Spicula; a term applied to the locusta, or 
spikelet of grasses. 
Spike ; an arrangement of sessile or stalk- 
less flowers along a common axis, as in the 
plantain. 
Spikelet; applied to the inflorescence of 
grasses : it is a spike in which the flowers are 
destitute of calyx and corolla, their places 
being supplied by bracts, which are again 
supported by other bracts ; the rachis of a 
spikelet is flexuose and toothed, and does not 
fall off with the flowers. 
Sporidia ; the coverings of the sporules or 
reproductive germs, in cellular plants. 
Spur ; the base of a petal lengthened into 
a hollow tube, as in the flowers of Orchis. 
Squama ; a term applied to the scales or 
bracts of the catkin. 
Squamelles ; a term applied to the mem- 
branous bracts which occur in composite 
flowers. 
Squamida? ; the hypogynous scales in the 
flowers of grasses. 
Stragulum ; a term applied to the inner 
glumes or palece of grasses. 
Stamens ; the male organs of a flower ; 
generally situated on slender threads called 
filaments, but these are sometimes absent, and 
the stamen is then said to be sessile or stalk- 
less : the anther and the pollen are essential 
parts of a stamen. 
Standard ; the upper or erect petal of a 
papilionaceous or butterfly-shaped flower ; it 
is usually more expanded than the rest. The 
sweet-pea has a papilionaceous flower. 
Stenopetalous ; narrow petaled ; applied 
when petals are narrow in proportion to their 
length. 
Stigma ; the upper extremity or secreting 
surface of the pistil, supported (usually) by 
the style, and having a humid or papillose 
surface : it is the most important part of the 
female organs of the flower, being that by 
means of which fertilization is conveyed to 
the ovules. 
Stigmatose; this term is applied to the style 
when the stigma is long and lateral, or 
attached to its side. 
Style; the part that supports the stigma ; 
it is analogous to the filament of a stamen : 
sometimes it is absent, and then the stigma is 
said to be sessile. 
Stylotegium, saccus ; synomynes of corona. 
Syngenesious ; a term applied to the plants 
of the nineteenth Linnaean class Syngenesia, 
which are the same as those called composite 
plants, as the daisy, dandelion, groundsel, 
thistle, &c. 
Talarce ; a term applied to the wings of 
papilionaceous flowers. 
Teg men ; a term applied to the outer 
glumes or valves of grasses. 
Tetradynamons ; when four out of six sta- 
mens are obviously longer than the other two : 
this peculiarity is the distinguishing feature 
of the fifteenth Linnasan class Tetradynamia. 
Throat ; the orifice of the tube in a mono- 
petalous corolla. 
Thyrse (thyrsus); applied to a panicle 
when the lower branches are shorter than 
those in the middle, and the whole are very 
compactly arranged, as in the lilac and privet. 
Thyrsida ; a term applied to the inflores- 
cence of labiate plants, usually called a whorl, 
