GLOSSARY 
Akene. A small, dry, one-seeded, indehiseent fruit. 
Alpine. Above timberline on mountains. 
Alternate. One leaf at each node or joint of the stem. 
Annual. Living during one season only. 
Anther. That part of a stamen that contains the pollen. 
Awn. A bristlelike appendage. 
Axil. The upper angle between the leaf and the stem. 
Axillary. Occurring in an axil. 
Berry. A fruit that is pulpy or juicy throughout. 
Biennial. Living for two seasons only. 
Bladdery. Thin and inflated. 
Bract. Reduced leaves among or subtending flowers. 
Bull). A fleshy bud such as an onion. 
Bulblet. A small bulb. 
Calyx. The outermost set of organs of a flower, usually green. 
Capsule. A dry fruit that opens at maturity. 
Chaff. Small bracts on the receptacle of flowers of the composite family. 
Corolla. The set of floral organs next within the calyx, usually not green. 
Disk. The central region of a head of flowers, such as the sunflower, as op¬ 
posed to the rays or margin. 
Dissected. Cut deeply into many lobes or divisions. 
Divided. Cut deeply into a few lobes or divisions. 
Downy. Clothed with a coat of soft, short hairs. 
Drupe. A stone fruit, such as a cherry. 
Elliptical. Oval or oblong with the ends regularly rounded. 
Entire. The margin not at all toothed, notched or divided. 
Fertile. Capable of producing seeds or pollen. 
Free. Not united with any other parts of the plant. 
Fruit. The seed-bearing portion of a plant. 
Gland. A secreting surface or structure. 
Herb. A plant with no woody parts above ground. 
Herbaceous. Of the texture, color, or appearance of an ordinary foliage leaf. 
Imperfect flower. One that lacks either stamens or pistils. 
Involucre. A set of bracts around a flower or cluster of flowers. 
Lanceolate. Lance-shaped. 
Legume. The fruit of a member of the pea family. 
Linear. Narrow and flat like a grass leaf. 
Membranous. With the texture of a membrane; thin and more or less trans* 
lucent. 
Midrib. The middle or main rib of a leaf. 
Nerve. A name applied to the veins or ribs of a leaf. 
Node. A place on a stem where a leaf is borne. 
Oblanceolate. Lance-shaped with the tapering end downward. 
Oblong. Two to four times as long as broad and more or less elliptical in shape. 
Obovate. Inversely ovate, the broad end upward. 
Opposite. Two leaves at each node or joint of the stem. 
Oval. Broadly elliptical. 
140 
