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Botanical Terminology
See Glossary (begins P. 1359).



External features of:
 Leaves & other non-reproductive parts
 Flowers
 Fruits
Necessary for identifying & describing plants:
Morphology: Study of external features/ form.

“Morphological features”.
Part 1: Vegetative Terminology

Plant Life Span
 Annual: (lives 1 season).
 Biennial: (1st season, vegetative growth, 2nd season,
reproduction).
 Perennial (lives 3 or more seasons, most species
reproduce multiple times).
Plant Growth Habit:
Herb:
Shrub:
Vine: (can be
woody or
herbaceous)
Tree:
Succulent:
Stem Types (p. 1367)


Aerial stem: Visible above ground.
Acaulescent: No stem visible, the
stem often subterranean.
 Rhizome: underground, slender.
 Tuber: thick horizontal,
underground.
Aerial stem
Rhizome
Acaulescent
Tuber
Stem Features (p. 1363)





Terminal bud:
Axillary (lateral) bud:
Node: where leaves, buds
attach.
Internode: where no
leaves, buds attach.
Leaf scar: mark leaf on twig
where a leaf fell off
Leaf Arrangement (p. 1363)


Basal:
 From underground stem or base of aerial stem
 Typical of acaulescent plants.
 Some plants bear basal & cauline leaves.
Cauline: Attached to aerial stem:
 Alternate: 1 leaf/ node
 Opposite: 2 leaves/ node
 Whorled: 3 leaves/ node
Basal
Opposite
Alternate
Whorled
Leaf Parts (p. 1361)



Blade:
Petiole:
 Sessile: leaf has no petiole, blade
attaches directly to stem.
 Petiolate: leaf has a petiole.
Stipules:




Estipulate: stipules lacking.
Stipulate: stipules present.
Petiolate, stipulate leaf.
Sheath
The basal portion of a leaf which
surrounds stem in some plants
(grasses).
Sessile leaf with sheath
Leaf Venation:
(branching pattern of veins in a leaf).



Parallel venation: (most monocots),
Pinnate venation:
Palmate venation:
Leaf Complexity (p. 1361)


Simple: one blade.
Compound: blade completely separated into
leaflets.
Palmately compound.
Pinnately compound.
Bipinnately compound.
Rachis: Axis of pinnately
(or bi) compound leaf.
Simple
Rachis
Pinnately compound.
Palmately compound.
Bipinnately compound.
Leaf / leaflet shapes (see p. 1361)

3-4 or more times longer than wide:
Needle-shaped: thin, not flattened.
Linear: margins parallel for much of length, flat blade.
Lanceolate: lance-shaped, narrowest near tip.
Oblanceolate: lance-shaped, narrowest near base.
Elliptic: broadest at middle.
Needle
Linear
Lanceolate
Oblanceolate
Elliptic
Leaf / Leaflet Shapes (see p. 1361)

Leaf less than 3 times longer than wide:
Ovate: egg-shaped broadest near base
Obovate: egg-shaped broadest near tip
Oval = (broadly elliptic): broadest at middle
Ovate
Obovate
Oval
Leaf Tip Shape (p.1361)
Acute: Margins meet at angle of less than 90o.
Acuminate: acute and drawn out into a long tip.
Obtuse: angle greater than 90o.
Truncate: tip appears “cut off”
Obtuse
Acute
Acuminate
Truncate
Leaf Bases (p. 1361)
Acute:
Obtuse:
Rounded:
Cordate: (heart-shaped)
Oblique: (uneven)
Rounded
Obtuse
Acute
Cordate
Oblique
Leaf Margins:
(Small projections p. 1361).
Entire: no teeth or lobes.
Serrate: “saw teeth” angled toward tip.
Doubly serrate: both large and small serrations.
Large projections (P.1361)


Lobed: shallow divisions.
Cleft: deeper divisions, at least halfway to
midrib.
Divided: almost to midrib, leaf nearly
compound.
Pinnately lobed, cleft, or divided:
Palmately lobed, cleft or divided:
Palmately Lobed/cleft leaf.
Divided leaf.
Pinnately Lobed/cleft leaf.
Vestiture: (p. 1369 & 1371).


Glabrous: No hairs on leaf, stem, or other part.
Pubescent: Hairs of various types.
Glabrous
Pubescent
Flower & Fruit Terminology:

Reproductive (flower & fruit characters) are the primary
characters used for plant identification.
Flower Structure (p. 1363)
A reduced branch (receptacle) with 4 series of
specialized leaves :
Stamens (Androecium)
Anther
Filament
Carpels (Gynoecium):
Stigma
Style
Ovary (contains ovules)
Petals (Corolla)
Sepals (Calyx)
Receptacle
Pistil= “visual unit” of
gynoecium: 1 or more
carpels.
More About The Gynoecium:



3 parts to most pistils:
Stigma- Surface receptive to pollen.
Style- connects stigma to ovary
Ovary- contains ovules.
 Ovules: Reproductive organs inside
ovary. Mature into seeds.
 A mature ovary = a fruit.
 A mature ovule is a seed.
A pistil is composed of one or more carpels
(ovule-bearing structures).
A flower can contain one (usually) or more
pistils.
Flower Variants
Grass:Flower
Orchid
Rose
Daisy
Pea
Lilly
Grass:
Spikelet
Ovary Position (p. 1363)



Hypogynous (ovary is above, superior, to the attachment of
the other floral whorls
Epigynous (ovary is below, inferior, to the attachment point
of the other floral whorls)
Perigynous: cuplike receptacle-extension
(=Hypanthium)surrounds (but not fused to) the superiour
ovary. Mostly in some Rosaceae.
Superior ovary
Inferior ovary
Fusion of Flower Parts
Flower parts of the same series may be fused together:
 Connate (fusion) vs. distinct (no fusion):
 Synsepalous: Sepals fused together.
 Sympetalous: Petals fused together.
 Stamens can also be connate in various ways).
Corolla
Calyx
Connate
Stamens
Carpel Fusion:
Moncarpous: one carpel per flower forming a simple pistil
Apcarpous: 2 or more carpels in a flower, but each carpel
distinct, forming a separate pistil.
Syncarpous: 2 or more carpels fused into a compound pistil
Carpel
(pistil)
Calyx
Single carpel of
Tephrosia
(Fabaceae)
Carpels (pistils)
Stamens
Petal
Numerous distinct
carpels of Magnolia
Style
Ovary
Compound pistil of
Euphorbia
Carpel Fusion:
Monocarpous
Apocarpous
Carpel
Syncarpous
Pistil (composed of
multiple carpels)
Stamens
Stamens
Cross section
Adnate Flower Parts:

Flower parts fused to another floral series.
Stamens adnate to corolla
(epipetalous)
Combined stigma, style &
androecium of Asclepias
Presence / Absence of Floral Parts:




Complete: Flower with all 4 series
Incomplete: Flower missing one or more series.
Perfect: Flower with both stamens and carpels.
Imperfect: Flower lacking either stamens or carpels.
 Staminate: Male flower with stamens, but lacking
functional carpels.
 Pistilate: Female flower lacking functional stamens.
Examples: Presence / Absence of
Floral Parts:
Spikelet of staminate
flowers
Corolla
Pistil (stigma)
Pistilate
flower
Stamens
bract
Calyx
Complete flower
of Campsis
Pistil
Incomplete, perfect
grass flower
Inperfect flowers of
Carex
Types of Plants with Imperfect Flowers:


Monoecious: Same Plant bears both staminate and
pistilate flowers.
Dioecious: Individual plants bear either staminate or
pistilate flowers, but not both.
Spikelet of staminate
flowers
Carex lupulina: a
monoecious plant
Spikelet of pistilate
flowers
Flower Symmetry



Actinomorphic (=radial):
 Flower can be divided into equal halves along several
lines (like an airplane propeller).
Zygomorphic (= bilateral):
 Flower divideable into equal halves only along 1 line.
Irregular: non symetrical-not divideable into equal halves.
Zygomorphic
(Lamium amplexicaule)
Actinomorphic
(Passiflora incarnata)
Inflorescence (p. 1365)
Arrangement of Flowers on a Plant
Peduncle: stalk of entire
inflorescence/ solitary flower.
Pedicel: stalk of a single flower.
Rachis: extension of peduncle in
some inflorescences.
Bracts: modified leaves that
subtend (attach beneath) flowers
and/or inflorescence.
Involucre: series of bracts
associated with an inflorescence.
Rachis
Bract
Pedicel
Peduncle
Bract
Inflorescence Location
Terminal: more or less the end of a branch or stem.
Axillary: flowers at bases of (normal stem) leaves.
 May be any type but often small clusters of 1-few.
Terminal
Axillary
Inflorescence Types (p. 1365)
Solitary flower.
Flower
Peduncle
Inflorescence Types (p. 1365)
Spike: Elongate, flowers sessile on rachis
Flowers
Rachis
Peduncle
Inflorescence Types
Spikelet: Miniature, compacted spike (grasses & sedges)
Spikelets
Bracts & flowers
Grass Spikelets
(Bromus)
Rachilla (Rachis)
Spikelets ofCarex
(Cyperaceae)
Inflorescence Types (p. 1365)
Raceme: Flowers attach to rachis via pedicel.
Flowers
Rachis
Pedicel
Peduncle
Inflorescence Types (p. 1365)
Panicle: Elongate, complex, branching. Branches attach to
rachis.
Flowers
Pedicel
branch
Rachis
Peduncle
Inflorescence Types (p. 1365)



Corymb: flat-topped; pedicels attach at different points
along a short rachis.
Compound Corymb if pedicels branch.
Common in Asteraceae where flower-clusters (heads) are
arranged in a corymb.
Flowers
flower
heads
Pedicel
Short rachis
Peduncle
Corymb (compound)
Corymb of heads, Achillea
Inflorescence Types (p. 1365)
Umbel (and Compound umbel): All pedicels attach to a
single point. (Characteristic of Apiaceae).
Flowers
Pedicel
bracts
Ray (Pedicel or
primary branch)
Peduncle
Simple umbel
Compound umbel
of Torilis arvensis
Inflorescence Types:
Head: All flowers sessile at a single point. (Characteristic of
Asteraceae).
Flowers
Bracts
(Involucre)
Peduncle
Inflorescence Types (p. 1365)


Cyme: A determinate inflorescence: Inner/upper flowers
mature first.
Several types (p.1365): Some resemble raceme, panicle,
corymb, etc but determinate pattern.
Oldest Flowers
Younger flowers
Peduncle
Cyme of
Cnidoscolus texanus
Fruits (p. 1367)
Fruit = Mature ovary: Carpels enclosing ovules mature into
fruits enclosing seeds.
Fruits that are Fleshy at Maturity (p. 1367)


Berry: fruit wall soft contains 2 or more seeds (many berry
variants, Hesperidium, Pepo & others).
Drupe: derived from 1 carpel. 1 seed. Outer fruit wall
fleshy, inner wall a boney ( “pit”) enclosing seed.
Common Berry Variants:


Pepo: A type of berry with a leathery rind. Most from
Cucurbitaceae. Melons, pumpkins, squash.
Hesperidium: Berries with a leathery rind that contains
aromatic oils. Internal sections (carpels) are very evident.
Rutaceae (citrus family).
Dry, Indehiscent Fruits (p. 1367)
(seeds not released at maturity).
Achene: Small,1 seed, free from ovary wall. Common;
Many plant families.
Samara: a winged achene
Samara
Dry, Indehiscent Fruits (p. 1367)
(seeds not released) at maturity.
Caryopsis (grain): 1 seed, adnate to ovary wall (Poaceae,
grasses).
Nut: Hard, boney fruit wall encloses 1 seed (other ovules
aborted). Similar to achene but larger.
Often subtended by series of fused, scale-like bracts (walnut
“husk”) acorn “cap” (Fagaceae, juglandaceae, etc).
Caryopsis
Nut
Dry, Indehiscent Fruits

Schizocarp: Fruit separates into 1or ½ -carpel sections, each
section containing seeds.
 Apiaceae (carrot/ parsley family-splits into 2 achenes).
 Maple (Acer) splits into 2 samaras.
Schizocarp
Dry, Dehiscent Fruits (p. 1367)
(Open to release seeds at maturity)
Capsule: Split or open in several places & release seeds.
Derived from >1 carpel, contain more than 2 seeds.
 Many types based on how they open.
 Numerous botanical groups.
Silicle & Silique: Capsules that split along 2 sides to expose a
papery central partition. Brasicaceae (mustard/ cabbage
family)
Silique
Silicle
Dry, Dehiscent Fruits (p. 1367)
(Open to release seeds at maturity)
Folicle: derived from 1 carpel. Splits along 1 line of
weakness
 trumpet creeper, milkweed.
Legume: Derived from 1 carpel, splits along 2 lines of
weakness. Legume family (Fabaceae).
•
Note: “fleshy” legumes (green beans, etc.) are harvested
immature before they dry.
Folicle
Fruits Derived from both Ovary & Nonovary Tissues
Accessory fruits:
• Strawberry type: Receptacle enlarges & engulfs
multiple carpels (apocarpous flower).
• Pome: Receptacle enlarges, engulfs a syncarpous
inferior ovary (apple pear).
• Most of fruit = receptacle; ovary = “core”
Accessory
Fruits Derived from More than 1 Pistil but
Same Flower
Aggregate fruit: Derived from combined ovaries of an
apocarpous flower:
• Raspberry, Magnolia.
Fruits Derived from More than 1 Flower
Multiple fruit: Derived from combined ovaries from more
than 1 flower (an entire inflorescence).
 Pineapple, fig, mulberry, etc.
Placentation (p. 1367; 1384)

Arrangement and attachment of the ovules (seeds)
within the ovary (fruit).
Ovary
Ovule
The Carpel Concept:
Possible Progression of Evolution
1) Primitive 'carpel': a leaf bearing ovules on margins.
2) Margins rolled under.
3) Margins fused: True carpel, double row of ovules within.
4) Compound pistil (Adjacent carpels fuse): each double
row of ovules within (placenta) represents a carpel.
1)
L.S.
X.S.
2)
3)
4)
Placentation Types
(P. 1367)
Determined by number of carpels & how they are fused.
Marginal: One double-row of
ovules along fused margins of
a single carpel. (Monocarpous
or apocarpous gynoecium).
Axile: Compound ovary divided
by septa into locules. Ovules
borne along central axis
(syncarpous).
Parietal: No septa, one chamber,
ovules on inner ovary wall
(Syncarpous).
Marginal
Axile
Parietal
Placentation Types (2)
Basal
Free central: No septa, ovules on
central axis or column.
Apical: one-few ovules attach at
top of ovary (monocarpous,
apocarpous, or syncarpous).
Basal: one-few ovules attach at
bottom of ovary (monocarpous,
apocarpous, or syncarpous).
Free Central
Apical
The End
Version 13.01