Glossary of Horticulture Terms
A, B, C, D, E-G, H-L, M-O, P, Q-R, S, T, U-Z
|
| Abortive |
Undeveloped; rudimentary. |
| Abscission |
The falling of leaf, twig-tip,
etc, from a clean-cut scar, by a self-healing wound. |
| Accessory buds |
Buds found beside or above the true bud
at a node. |
| Achene |
A dry, indehiscent, one-seeded
fruit. |
| Acorn |
The fruit of oaks, a thick walled nut with
a woody cup-like base. |
| Aculeate |
Prickly. |
| Acuminate |
Coming to a point with concave, curved
sides. |
| Acute |
With sides forming an angle of less than
90° ; shape pointed. |
| Adventitious |
Not in the usual place (buds that have remained
undeveloped so that they are no longer evidently axillary,
or that really originate elsewhere, as on a root). |
| Aerial roots |
Roots produced above ground, often used
for climbing. |
| Aggregated |
Joined together, confluent, as applied to
bundle traces. |
| Aggregate flower |
A single flower heaped or crowded into a
dense flower cluster. |
| Aggregate fruit |
A fruit formed by the coherence or the connation
of pistils that were distinct in the flower. |
| Alternate |
Said of leaf scars or leaves occurring one
at each node. |
| Amplexicaul |
Encircling the stem. |
| Androecium |
Stamens of a flower, as a unit. |
| Annular |
Ring-like; said of leaf scars which encircle
the bud, or bundle scars which are circular with an opening
in the center. |
| Anterior |
On the front side, away from the axis, toward
the subtending bract. |
| Anther |
The pollen bearing part of a stamen, borne
at the top of a filament or sessile. |
| Apetalous |
Without petals. Ex. Grass flowers |
| Apex |
The tip or terminal end. |
| Apical |
Describes the apex or tip. |
| Apiculate |
Ending in an abrupt pointed tip. |
| Appressed |
Flattened against the twig; not spreading. |
| Arboreal |
Tree-like or pertaining to trees. |
| Arborescent |
Tree-like; defined arbitrarily as pertaining
to a woody plant at least 20 ft. high as maturity with
a single stem and more or less definite crown. |
| Arching |
Curving gracefully. |
| Arcuate |
Arched, bent like a bow. |
| Aril |
A fleshy appendage of the seed, usually
a fleshy seedcoat. |
| Armed |
With pines (barberry, Japanese quince) or
prickles (brambles). Leaves that are pungent at the tip
or around the margin (holly), are not included in this
limited definition. |
| Aromatic |
Fragrantly scented, at least when broken
or crushed. |
| Articular membrane |
A membrane consisting of the thin, enlarged
base of the petiole, on which the leaf scar occurs. |
| Articulate |
Having nodes or joints where separation
may naturally occur. |
| Ascending |
Said of a bud that is between spreading
and appressed. Curving indirectly or obliquely upward. |
| Attenuate |
Showing a long gradual slender taper; usually
applied to apices, but equally appropriate for bases of
leaves, petals, etc. |
| Awl-shaped |
Tapering to a slender stiff point. |
| Awn |
A bristle-like appendage. |
| Axil |
The angle above a leaf; the point above
a leaf scar. |
| Axillary |
In the axil. |
| Axis |
The main stem or central support of a plant. |
