Download Glossary Words

Adnate Cap: Gills that are broadly attached to the stalk (See diagram).
Alternate: Leaves that sprout on alternating sides of a twig, not opposing each other. (See
diagram)
Apex: Highest point of an object; the top or tip.
Attached Gills: (See diagram).
Axis: The central stem of a compound leaf around which the leaflets are arranged.
Basal Bulb: Bottom section of a stalk that is round.
Basal: A leaf or growth structure that grows at the very bottom of a plant of tree. A basal
leaf is the leaf that grows the closest to the ground.
Bell-Shaped Cap: (See diagram)
Biennial: A growth or flowering pattern that occurs once every two years. For example,
Common Burdock has flowers that only bloom once every two years.
Bolete: A fleshy mushroom with a tubelike layer under the cap.
Bract: A modified leaf located near flower or cluster of flowers. Can be leafy, petal-like,
or woody; can by colorful or green.
Calyx: The outermost whorl sepals (modified leaves) that surrounds the flower, usually
green.
Cap: The top of a mushroom.
Chevrons: A marking on a plant in the shape of a “V.” For example, grey birch has bark
marked with chevrons. Red Clover has leaves with white chevrons against the green
background.
Close Gills: (See diagram)
Compound leaf: A leaf with two or more distinct leaflets on a single leafstalk (See
diagram)
Conical Cap: (See diagram)
Convex Cap: (See diagram)
Corm: Often thought of as a root or bulb. It grows underground for some plants. It
consists of an outer tough layer and starchy, solid tissue inside.
Crowded Gills: (See diagram)
Descending Gills: Gills (or pores) that run down the stalk (See diagram).
Disk flower: The flowers with small petals located in the center of composite flowers,
and are surrounded by ray flowers.
Distant Gills: (See diagram).
Down Curled Margin: See incurved.
Egg-Shaped Cap: (See diagram)
Evanescent Ring: A ring that disappears quickly.
False Gills: Not structurally distinct units rather are mere folds in the mushroom's under
surface.
Flat Cap: (See diagram).
Flesh: The interior tissue of a mushroom.
Free Gills: Gills that do not reach the stalk (See diagram).
Fungus: An organism that lack chlorophyll and possesses spores.
Gill: A radial bladelike plate that bears spores, located under the cap of the mushroom.
Granule: A small particle or grain that are on the cap of a mushroom.
Hollow Stalk: (See diagram)
Incurved Margin: Rolled inward (See diagram).
Inrolled Margin: (See diagram)
Leaf blade: The thin flat part of the leaf from the petiole to the tip. (See diagram)
Leaflets: When a plant or tree has a ‘compound leaf’ it means that one leaf is comprised
of many leaflets. The leaflet is a leaf structure, with a stem, that when clustered together
with others, makes a compound leaf. Note: leaflets do NOT have an axillary bud at their
base. (See diagram)
Lobed Margin: (See diagram)
Lobe: A division or projection in a leaf, but not separate leaflets. Can be rounded or
pointed, toothed or smooth. (See diagram)
Margin: The edge of the cap of the mushroom.
Mesic: a term used to describe soil types, meaning characterized by moderate moisture
(not too much, not too little.)
Monoecious: A species where the male and female reproductive structures, such as
flowers or cones, are located on the same plant.
Mushroom: The fruiting body of a fungus.
Mycelium: The vegetative portion of a fungus.
Opposite: Leaves arranged in pairs, opposite each other on a twig. (See diagram)
Partial Veil: A tissue that covers and protects the immature gills or tubes of gilled
mushroom or boletes.
Perithecium: A minute flask-shaped vessel containing the asci (saclike cell that produces
spores).
Petiole: The stalk of a leaf. (See diagram)
Pinnate: A feather-like arrangement of leaflets in compound leaf. (See diagram)
Pore: The mouth or opening of the tube in boletes and polypores.
Puffballs: Mushrooms that produce spores enclosed inside a spore case.
Pulvinus: (plural Pulvini) a swelling at the base of a leafstalk, common in the Family
Fabaceae. For example, the Easter Redbud has distinctive pulvini.
Ray flower: Has a ray of fused petals. These are located along the outer edge of a
composite flower, surrounding the disk flowers.
Sepal: A modified leaf that surrounds the flower, and is located at its base. Usually green.
A whorl of sepals makes up the calyx.
Simple leaf: A leaf with a single whole leaf blade on a leafstalk. (See diagram)
Sinus: The negative space between lobes on a leaf. (See diagram)
Spadix: A component of a flower on some plants. A spadix is the stem-like growth found
on plants such as Jack in the Pulpit. It is then surrounded or sheathed by the Spathe.
Spathe: A component of a flower on some plants. A spathe is a growth of leaves or bracts
(sub-leaves) fused together. It then forms a shield around the spadix (protruding growth)
of the flower.
Spore Print: The pattern made by the spores as they are discharged from the gills or
tubes.
Spore: The reproductive unit of a fungus.
Stalk: The portion of the mushroom that supports and elevates the cap for spore disposal.
Stamen: The male organ of a flower. The stamen is comprised of two parts: the anther
and the filament. The filament is the stalk upon which the anther sits.
Stigma: (plural stigmata) The upper tip of the female reproductive part of a flower, it
receives pollen.
Stuffed Stalk: Stalk that is filled with loose flesh.
Tubes: A hollow cylinder that contains the basidia where spores are produced in bolete or
polypore.
Underside: The area under the cap.
Universal Veil: A tissue that encloses the ENTIRE immature stage of some gilled
mushroom and boletes.
Uplifted Margin: (See diagram)
Veil: A tissue that covers and protects the immature stage of some gilled and mushroom
boletes.
Xeric: A term used to describe soil types, meaning characterized by low moisture.