Florida Plant ID
Glossary of Botanical Terms: S-W
S
Samara Fruit Type: Winged fruit; dry, indehiscent. See Figure 26.
Scale-like Leaf Shape: Small, short, usually sharp-pointed, broadened at the base. See Figure 27.
Segments: In palms, leaf is deeply lobed but not divided.
Sepal: One of the parts of the outer whorl of a flower, usually green in color.
Serrate Leaf Margin: Sharp teeth pointing toward the apex. See Figure 28.
Simple Leaf: An undivided leaf; without leaflets. See Figure 29.
Spadix: A flower spike with a thick and fleshy axis, usually densely flowered with imperfect flowers. See Figure 30.
Spathe: A large bract sheathing or enclosing a spadix. See Figure 30.
Spike Flower Arrangement: An inflorescence consisting of a central rachis bearing a number of flowers directly attached to the flower stem (i.e., no pedicels). See Figure 31.
Spore: A small reproductive structure capable of developing into a new organism.
Spur: In fruit, a short shoot that bears the fruit; in flowers, a tubular projection of the corolla.
Stamen: The male, pollen-bearing organ of a flower made up of a filament and anther. See Figure 32.
Stolon: Trailing stem above ground, rooting at the nodes.
Stone: The woody portion of the protective enclosure surrounding a seed.
Stone cell: Hard cells with thick walls that provide support to the plant and give the flesh a gritty texture.
Subopposite: nearly alternate but with close spacing.
Succulent: Fleshy and full of juice.
Suture: In fruit, the line where the dry fruit splits open.
T
Tendril: A modified leaf or stem, slender and coiling, used for grasping or attaching to a support.
Trifoliate: A compound leaf having three leaflets.
Tuber: A thickened, short, usually subterranean stem having numerous buds called eyes.
Tunicate: Having enwrapping coats or layers, like an onion.
U
Umbel Flower Arrangement: An inflorescence consisting of several pedicelled flowers with a common point of attachment. See Figure 33.
Undulate Leaf Margin: Wavy leaf edge (up and down in a vertical plane). See Figure 34.
W
Whorled Leaf Arrangement: Three or more leaves at a node. See Figure 35.
