Florida Plant ID
Glossary of Botanical Terms: E-N

A-DE-NO-RS-W

E

Elliptic Leaf Shape: Broadest at the middle, the ends nearly equal. See Figure 9.

 Figure 9.

Entire Leaf Margin: Uncut, without indentations. See Figure 10.

 Figure 10.

Evergreen: Bearing leaves throughout the year.

Exfoliating: Peeling off in thin layers.

F

Floret: A small flower, or an individual flower in a cluster.

Funnelform Corolla Type: Tube gradually expanding upward as a funnel, the limb may be flaring or somewhat at right angles to the flower axis. See Figure 11.

Figure 11.

G

Glabrous: Smooth, no hairs present.

Globose or Globular: Rounded or like a sphere.

Gymnosperm: Cone bearing plants considered more primitive than flowering plants. (Ex: Pine trees)

H

Herbaceous: A plant with no persistent woody stem above ground.

Husk: The hard or tough layer that covers some fruits and seeds.

I

Indehiscent:  A fruit that does not open spontaneously to release seeds.

Inflorescence: The flowering part of a plant.

Internode: The part of the stem that is between two nodes.

K

Kernel: The inner and usually edible part of a seed, grain or nut.

L

Lanceolate: Shaped as the head of a lance, broadened at the base and tapering toward the apex. See Figure 12.

 Figure 12.

Leaf axil:  The angle between the stem and the upper surface of an attached leaf.

Leaflet: One of the divisions of a compound leaf.

Lenticels: A group of raised, corky cells which form beneath the epidermis of a woody plant.

Linear: Long and narrow, the sides parallel or nearly so. See Figure 13.

 Figure 13.

Lobed Leaf Margin: Divided into lobes separated by narrow or acute indentations which extend from one-third to one-half of the distance between margin and midrib. See Figure 14 .

 Figure 14.

M

Margin: The outer edge of a leaf.

Midrib: The main or central vein of a leaf.

Monoecious: Male and female flowers are borne on the same plant.

N

Node: The place on the stem which normally bears a leaf.