Morphology of a typical Angiosperm

Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:

I. The Plant
A. Plant Parts
Bud. Immature vegetative or floral shoot or both, often covered by scales.
Flower. Reproductive structure of flowering plants with or without protective envelopes,
the calyx and/or corolla; short shoot with sporophylls and with or without sterile
protective leaves, the calyx and corolla.
Fruit. Matured ovary of flowering plants, with or without accessory Parts.
Leaf. A photosynthetic and transpiring organ, usually developed from leaf primordium in
the bud; an expanded, usually green, organ borne on the stem of a plant.
Root. An absorbing and anchoring organ, usually initially developed from the radicle and
growing downward.
Seed. Matured ovule of seed plants.
Stem. A supporting and conducting organ usually developed initially from the epicotyl and
growing upward.
B. Plant Types
(Classification based on habit)
Herb. A usually low, soft, or coarse plant with annual aboveground stems.
Shrub. A much-branched woody perennial plant usually without a single trunk.
Tree. A tall, woody perennial plant usually with a single trunk.
Vine or Liana. An elongate, weak-stemmed, often climbing annual or perennial plant,
with herbaceous or woody texture.

Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:

II. Roots
A. Root Parts
Root Cap. Parenchymatous, protective apex of root.
Root Hair. Lateral, absorbing outgrowth of the epidermal cell.
Secondary Root. Lateral root with root cap and hairs, derived from the pericycle.
B. Root Types
(Classification based on position and origin)
Adventitious. Arising from organ other than root; usually lateral.
Primary. From radicle of embryo; tip of main axis.
Secondary. From pericycle within the primary or secondary root; lateral.
C. Root Structural Types
Aerating or Knee. Vertical or horizontal aboveground roots.
Aerial. Fibrous, adventitious roots, frequently with an adhesive disk; a crampon.
Buttress. Roots with board-like or plank-like growth on upper side, presumably a
supporting structure.
Contractile or Pull. Roots capable of shortening, usually drawing the plant or plant part
deeper into the soil, usually with a wrinkled surface.
Fascicled. Fleshy or tuberous roots in a cluster.
Fibrous. With fine, threadlike or slender roots.
Fleshy. Succulent roots.
Haustorial. Absorbing roots, within host of some parasitic species.
Moniliform. Elongate roots with regularly arranged swollen areas.
Pneumatophorous. With spongy, aerating roots, usually found in marsh plants.
Prop or Stilt. Adventitious, supporting roots usually arising at lower nodes.
Tap. Persistent, well-developed primary root.
Tuberous. Fleshy roots resembling stem tubers.

Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:

III. Stems
A. Stem Parts
1. Twig Surface Parts
Bud. An immature shoot.
Internode. A section or region of stem between nodes.
Leaf Scar. A mark indicating former place of attachment of petiole or leaf base.
Lenticel. A pore in the bark.
Node. Region of stem from which a leaf, leaves, or branches arise.
Prickle. A sharp pointed outgrowth from the epidermis or cortex of any organ.
Stipular Scar. A mark indicating former place of attachment of stipule.
Terminal Bud Scale Scar Rings. Several marks in a ring indicating former places of
attachment of bud scales.
Vascular Bundle or Trace Scar. A mark indicating former place of attachment within the
leaf scar of the vascular bundle or trace.
2. Major Stem Parts
Bark. Tissues of plant outside wood or xylem.
 Exfoliating Bark. Bark cracking and splitting off in large sheets.
 Fissured Bark. Split or cracked bark.
 Plated Bark. Split or cracked bark with flat plates between fissures.
 Ringed Bark. Split or cracked bark with circular fissures.
 Shreddy Bark. Soft but coarse fibrous bark, usually shallowly fissured.
 Smooth Bark. Bark without fissures.
  Winged Bark. Bark with one or more thin, flat longitudinal expansions or
elongate plates.
Pith. Centermost tissue of stem, usually soft.
 Chambered Pith. Solid core of pith cells absent, only distinct partitions present.
 Continuous Pith. With solid core of parenchyma or pith cells.
 Diaphragmed Pith. With solid core of pith cells and distinct partitions.
 Hollow Pith. Disintegrated pith with a large central cavity.
 Spongy Pith. Porous, easily compressible pith.
Wood. Xylem consisting of vessels and/or tracheids, fibers, and parenchyma cells.
 Annual Ring. Usually one year's growth of wood; spring and summer wood.
 Diffuse Porous Wood. Annual rings with vessels or pores more or less evenly
distributed.
 Non-porous Wood. Annual rings with tracheids only, no vessels produced in
spring or summer wood.
 Ring Porous Wood. Annual rings with vessels or pores usually in the spring
wood, in a well defined circular band.
B. Stem Types
(Classification based on habit, direction of growth, or position)
Arborescent. Tree-like in appearance and size.
Ascending. Inclined upward.
Cespitose. Short, much-branched, plant forming a cushion.
Clambering. Sprawling across objects, without climbing structures.
Climbing. Growing upward by means of tendrils, petioles, or adventitious roots.
Columnar. Erect with a stout main stem or trunk.
Decumbent. Reclining or lying on the ground with the tips ascending
Dichotomous. With equally forked branches or stems.
Eramous. With unbranched stems.
Erect. Upright.
Fastigiate. Strictly erect and parallel.
Fruticose. Shrubby.
Geniculate. Abruptly bent at a node, zigzag.
Procumbent, Prostrate, or Reclining. Trailing or lying flat, not rooting at the nodes;
humistrate.
Ramose. Branched.
Repent. Creeping or lying flat and rooting at the nodes.
Soboliferous. With loosely clumped shoots arising some distance apart from rhizomes or
under ground suckers.
Stoloniferous. With runners or propagative shoots rooting at the tip producing new
plants; bearing stolons; sarmentose.
Strict. Stiff and rigid.
Supine. Prostrate, with parts oriented upward.
Trailing. Sprawling on ground, usually with adventitious roots.
Twining. Coiling around an object.
Virgate. Wand-like; long, slender, and straight.
 C. Stem Structural Types
Bulb. A short, erect, underground stem surrounded by fleshy leaves.
Bulbel. A small bulb produced from the base of a larger bulb.
Bulbil. A small bulb or bulb-like body produced on above ground parts.
Bulblet. A small bulb, irrespective of origin.
Caudex. A short, thick, vertical or branched perennial stem usually subterranean, or at
ground level.
Cladode (phylloclad). A flattened main stem resembling a leaf.
Corm. The enlarged, solid, fleshy base of a stem with scales; an upright underground
storage stem.
Cormel. Small corm produced at base of parent corm.
Culm. Flowering and fruiting stems of grasses and sedges.
Pachycauly. Short, thick, frequently succulent stems, as in
Primocane. The first year non-flowering stem, as in most blackberries; a turion.
Pterocauly. Winged stems.
Rhizome. A horizontal underground stem.
Rootstock. A term applied to miscellaneous types of underground stems or parts.
Runner or Stolon. An indeterminate, elongate, above ground propagative stem, with long
internodes, rooting at the tip forming new plants.
Sarcocauly. Fleshy stems.
Scape. A naked flowering stem with or without a few scale leaves, arising from an
underground stem.
Sclerocauly. Hard, dryish stems.
Spur. A short shoot on which flowers and fruits or leaves are borne.
Sucker. A shoot arising below ground or from an old stem, usually fast-growing and
adventitious; surculose.
Tendril. Long, slender, coiling branch, adapted for climbing (most tendrils are leaf
structures).
Thorn. A sharp-pointed branch.
Tiller. A grass shoot produced from the base of the stem.
Tuber. A thick storage stem, usually not upright.
Turion. An over-wintering bud, as in Lemna.
Underground Stolon. A determinate, elongate, underground propagative stem with long
internodes forming a bulb or tuber at the tip.

Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:

IV. Buds
A. Bud Parts
Bud Primordium. Meristematic tissue that gives rise to a lateral bud.
Flower Primordium. Meristematic tissue that gives rise to a flower.
Leaf Primordium. Meristematic tissue that gives rise to a leaf.
Promeristem. Apical growing or meristematic tissue that gives rise to other bud parts.
Scale. Protective leaf on outside of bud.
B. Bud Types (Classification based on position and arrangement)
Accessory. Buds lateral to or above axillary buds.
 Collateral. Bud(s) lateral to axillary bud.
 Superposed. Bud(s) above axillary bud.
Axillary or Lateral. In axils of leaves or leaf scars.
Infrapetiolar or Subpetiolar. Axillary bud surrounded by base of petiole.
Pseudo-terminal. Bud appearing apical but is lateral near apex, developing with death or
nondevelopment of terminal bud.
Terminal. At apex or end of stem.
C. Bud Structural Types
(Classification based on composition and cover)
Flower. Contains flower primordia; will give rise to one or more flowers.
Leaf. Contains leaf and stem primordia; will give rise to branch with leaves.
Mixed. Contains flower, leaf, and stem primordia; will give rise to branch with leaves and
flower(s).
Naked. Shoot and/or flower primordia not surrounded by scales.
Protected. Shoot and/or flower primordia surrounded by scales.

Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:

V. Leaves
A. Leaf Parts
Blade. Flat, expanded portion of leaf.
Leaflet. A distinct and separate segment of a leaf.
Ligule. An outgrowth or projection from the top of the sheath, as in the Poaceae.
Midrib. The central conducting and supporting structure of the blade of a simple leaf.
Midvein. The central conducting and supporting structure of the blade of a leaflet.
Petiole. Leaf stalk.
Petiolule. Leaflet stalk.
Pulvinus. The swollen base of a petiole or petiolule.
Rachilla. Secondary axis of compound leaf.
Rachis. The main axis of a pinnately compound leaf.
Sheath. Any more or less tubular portion of the leaf surrounding the stem or culm, as in
the Poaceae.
Stipels. Paired scales, spines, or glands at the base of petiolule.
Stipules. Paired scales, spines, glands, or blade-like structures at the base of a petiole.
B. Leaf Types
(Classification based primarily on arrangement of leaflets)
Note: This classification is based on discrete segments of leaves or leaflets, but the terms
with "compound" are equally applicable to segments, divisions, etc. of any structure with a
blade; e.g., palmately divided, pinnately cleft, etc.
Bifoliolate, Geminate, or Jugate. With two leaflets from a common point.
Bigeminate, Bijugate. With two orders of leaflets, each bifoliolate; doubly paired.
Bipalmately Compound. With two orders of leaflets, each palmately compound.
Bipinnately Compound. With two orders of leaflets, each pinnately compound.
Biternate. With two orders of leaflets, each ternately compound.
Compound. With leaf divided into two or more leaflets.
Decompound. A general term for leaflets in two or more orders - bi-, tri-etc. - pinnately,
palmately, or ternately compound.
Imparipinnately Compound. Odd-pinnately compound, with a terminal leaflet.
Interruptedly Pinnately Compound. With smaller and larger leaflets alternating along
the rachis.
Palmately Compound. With leaflets from one point at end of petiole.
Palmate-pinnate. With first order leaflets palmately arranged, second order pinnately
arranged.
Paripinnately Compound. Even-pinnately compound, without a terminal leaflet.
Pinnately Compound. With leaflets arranged oppositely or alternately along a common
axis, the rachis.
Simple. With leaf not divided into leaflets.
Tergeminate. With three orders of leaflets, each bifoliolate, or with geminate leaflets
ternately compound.
Ternately Compound. With leaflets in three's.
Trifoliolate. With leaflets three, pinnately compound with terminal petiolule longer than
lateral; or palmately compound with petiolules equal in length.
Tripalmately Compound. With three orders of leaflets, each palmately compound.
Tripinnately Compound. With three orders of leaflets, each pinnately compound.
Triternate. With three orders of leaflets, each ternately compound.
Unifoliolate. With a single leaflet with a petiolule distinct from the petiole of the whole
leaf, as in Cercis.
C. Leaf Structural Types
Bract. Modified leaf found in the inflorescence.
Bracteole or Prophyllum. Small leaf, usually on a pedicel.
Chaff or Pale. Scale or bract at base of tubular flower in composites.
Complete. Leaf with blade, petiole, and stipules.
Cotyledon. Embryonic leaf.
Elaminate. Without blade.
Epetiolate. Without petiole, leaf sessile.
Epetiolulate. Without petiolule, leaflet sessile.
Epicalyx. Group of leaves resembling sepals below the true calyx.
Exstipellate. Without stipels.
Exstipulate. Without stipules.
Fly Trap. Hinged, insectivorous leaf, as in Dionaea.
Glume. Bract, usually occurring in pairs, at the base of the grass spikelet.
Incomplete. Leaf without one or more parts: blade, petiole, stipules.
Lemma. Outer scale subtending grass floret.
Palea. Inner scale subtending grass floret.
Phyllary. One of the involucral leaves subtending a capitulum, as in composites.
Phyllodium. Flattened blade-like petiole or midrib.
Pitcher. Ventricose to tubular insectivorous leaf, as in Sarracenia.
Scale. Small, non-green leaf on bud and modified stem.
Spathe. An enlarged bract enclosing an inflorescence.
Spine. Sharp-pointed petiole, midrib, vein, or stipule.
Sporophyll. A spore bearing leaf.
Storage Leaf. Succulent, fleshy leaf.
Tendril. Usually a coiled rachis or twining leaflet modification.
Tentacular. Glandular-haired or tentacle-bearing insectivorous leaf, as in Drosera.
D. Petiole and Petiolule Structural Types
Channelled or Canaliculate. With a longitudinal groove.
Inflated. Swollen or thickened, as in Eichhornia.
Pericladial. With a sheathing base, as in the Apiaceae.
Petiolate. With a petiole.
Petiolulate. With a petiolule.
Phyllodial. Flattened and blade-like.
Pulvinal. With a swollen base, as in the Fabaceae.
Sessile or Absent. Without petiole or petiolule.
Winged. With flattened blade-like margins.
E. Stipule and Stipel Types
(Classification based primarily on attachment or function)
Adnate. With stipule attached to petiole.
Basal. With stipules attached near base of petiole.
Interpetiolar. With connate stipules from two opposite leaves.
Lateral. With stipules adnate to petiole and free part of stipules located along the petiole.
Median. With stipules adnate to petiole with free part of stipules near middle of petiole.
Photosynthetic. Blade-like and green.
Sheathing or Protective. Enclosing a bud or flower.
Stipellate. With stipels.
Stipulate. With stipules.
Vestigial. Minute; a remnant.

Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:

VI. Inflorescences

A. Inflorescence Parts
Bract. Modified, usually reduced, leaf in the inflorescence.
Bracteole or Bractlet. A secondary or smaller bract.
Cupule. Fused involucral bracts subtending flower, as in Quercus.
Epicalyx or Calycle. A whorl of bracts below but resembling a true calyx.
Flower. Modified reproductive shoot of angiosperms.
Involucel. Small involucre; secondary involucre.
Involucre. A group or cluster of bracts subtending an inflorescence.
Pedicel. Individual flower stalk.
Peduncle. Main stalk for entire inflorescence.
Perigynium. Sac-like bract subtending the pistillate flower, as in Carex.
Phyllary. Individual bract within involucre.
Rachilla. Central axis of a grass or sedge spikelet.
Rachis. Major axis within an inflorescence. compound
Ray. Secondary axis in inflorescence.
Scape. Naked peduncle.
Spathe. A sheathing leaf subtending or enclosing an inflorescence.
B. Inflorescence Types
(Classification based primarily on arrangement and development)
Note: Inflorescence types are essentially secondary arrangements. The primary
arrangement (alternate, opposite, or whorled) of the individual flowers should be
indicated; and the tertiary arrangement of sessile-flowered inflorencences should be noted;
e.g., spikelets racemose or heads umbellate. See Chapter 27 for structural evolution of
inflorescences. Determinate inflorescences have the central flower maturing first with the
arrest of the elongation of the central axis; indeterminate inflorescences have the lateral or
lower flowers maturing first without the arrest of the elongation of the central axis.
1. Inflorescences with Sessile Flowers
Ament or Catkin. A unisexual spike or elongate axis with simple dichasia that falls as a
unit after flowering or fruiting.
Capitulum or Head. A determinate or indeterminate crowded group of sessile or
subsessile flowers on a compound receptacle or torus.
Glomerule. An indeterminate dense cluster of sessile or subsessile flowers.
Hypanthodium. An inflorescence with flowers on wall of a concave capitulum, as in
Ficus.
Spadix. Unbranched, indeterminate inflorescence with flowers embedded in the rachis.
Spike. Unbranched, indeterminate, elongate inflorescence with sessile flowers.
Spikelet or Locusta. A small spike; the basic inflorescence unit in grasses and sedges.
2. Unbranched Inflorescences with Pedicellate Flowers
Cincinnus. A tight, modified helicoid cyme in which pedicels are short on the developed
side.
Corymb. A flat-topped or convex indeterminate cluster of flowers.
Cymule. A simple, small dichasium.
Helicoid Cyme or Bostryx. A determinate inflorescence in which the branches develop
on one side only, appearing simple.
Raceme. Unbranched, indeterminate inflorescence with pedicelled flowers.
Scorpioid Cyme or Rhipidium. A zigzag determinate inflorescence with branches
developed on opposite sides of the rachis alternately.
Simple Cyme or Dichasium. A determinate, dichotomous inflorescence with the pedicels
of equal length.
Umbel. A determinate or indeterminate flat-topped or convex inflorescence with the
pedicels arising at a common point.
3. Branched Inflorescences with Pedicellate Flowers
Compound Corymb. A branched corymb.
Compound Cyme. A branched cyme.
Compound Umbel. An umbel with primary rays or peduncles arising at a common point
with a secondary umbel arising from the tip of the primary rays; a branched umbel.
Panicle. Branched inflorescence with pedicelled flowers.
Thyrse. A many-flowered inflorencence with an indeterminate central axis and with many
opposite lateral dichasia.
Verticillaster. Whorled dichasia at the nodes of an elongate rachis.
4. General Inflorescence Terms and Types
Cyathium. A pseudanthium subtended by an involucre, frequently with petaloid glands, as
in Euphorbia.
Monochasium. A cymose inflorescence with one main axis.
Pleiochasium. Compound dichasium in which each cymule has three lateral branches.
Pseudanthium. Several flowers simulating a simple flower but composed of more than a
single axis with subsidiary flowers.
Scapose. With a solitary flower on a leafless peduncle or scape, usually arising from a
basal rosette.
Secund. One-sided arrangement.
Solitary. One-flowered, not an inflorescence.
Umbellet. The secondary umbel in a compound umbel.

Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:

VII. Flowers
A. Flower Parts
Accessory Organs. The calyx and corolla.
Androecium. One or more whorls or groups of stamens; all stamens in flower.
Androgynophore. The stipe or column on which stamens and carpels are borne.
Calyx. The lowermost whorl of modified leaves, sepals.
Carpel. The female sporophyll within flower; floral organ that bears ovules in
angiosperms; unit of compound pistil.
Clinanthium. The compound receptacle of the composite head.
Corolla. The whorl of petals located above the sepals.
Disc. A discoid structure developed from receptacle at base of ovary or from stamens
around the ovary.
Essential Organs. The androecium and gynoecium.
Gynoecium or Pistil. The whorl or group of carpels in the center or at the top of the
flower; all carpels in a flower.
Gynophore. The stipe of a pistil or carpel.
Hypanthium. The fused or coalesced basal portion of floral parts (sepals, petals, stamens)
around the ovary.
Pedicel. The flower stalk.
Perianth. An aggregation of tepals or combined calyx and corolla.
Petal. A corolla member or segment; a unit of the corolla.
Polyphore. A receptacle or torus bearing many distinct carpels, as in Rosa.
Receptacle or Torus. The region at end of pedicel or on axis to which flower is attached.
Sepal. A calyx member or segment; a unit of the calyx.
Stamen. The male sporophyll within the flower; the floral organ that bears pollen in
angiosperms.
Tepal. A perianth member or segment; term used for perianth parts undifferentiated into
distinctive sepals and petals.
Whorl. A cyclic or acyclic group of sepals, or petals, or stamens, or carpels.
B. Flower Types
(Classification based on evolutionary flower-pollinator relationships)
Actinomorphic. Flowers with radial symmetry and parts arranged at one level; with
definite numbers of parts and size; e.g., Anemone, Caltha.
Amorphic or Paleomorphic. Flowers without symmetry; usually with an indefinite
number of stamens and carpels, and usually subtended by bracts or discolored upper
leaves; e.g., Salix discolor, Echinops ritro. (mostly fossil forms).
Haplomorphic. Flowers with parts spirally arranged at a simple level in a semispheric or
hemispheric form; petals or tepals colored; parts numerous; e.g., Nymphaea, Magnolia.
Pleomorphic. Actinomorphic with numbers of parts reduced; e.g., Tripogandra.
Stereomorphic. Flowers 3-dimensional with basically radial symmetry; parts many or
reduced, and usually regular; e.g., Narcissus, Aquilegia.
Zygomorphic. Flowers with bilateral symmetry; parts usually reduced in number and
irregular; e.g., Cypripedium, Salvia.

Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:

VIII. Perianth and Hypanthium
A. Perianth Parts
Anterior Lobes. The lobes away from axis, toward the subtending bract; abaxial lobes.
Anterior Ridges, Lines, Grooves. The lines, grooves, ridges in or on the dorsal side,
abaxial, within the perianth.
Base. Bottom or lower portion.
Beard. A tuft, line or zone of trichomes.
Bristle. A stiff, strong trichome, as in the perianth of some members of the Cyperaceae.
Callosity. A thickened, raised area, which is usually hard; a callus.
Carina. Keel.
Claw. The long, narrow petiole-like base of a sepal or petal.
Corona. A crown; any outgrowth between the stamens and corolla which may be petaline
or staminal in origin.
Dorsal Side. Back or abaxial side, or the lower side of a perianth part.
Faucal Area. The throat area.
Fringe. The modified margin of a petal, sepal, tepal or lip.
Hood. A cover-shaped perianth part, usually with a turned down margin.
Horn. A curved, pointed and hollow protuberance from the perianth.
Hypogynium. Perianth-like structure of bony scales subtending the ovary, as in Scleria
and other members of the Cyperaceae.
Keel. The two united petals of a papilionaceous flower; any structure ridged like the
bottom of a boat.
Ligule. The strap-shaped portion of a ray or ligulate corolla.
Lip or Labellum. Either of two variously shaped parts into which a corolla or calyx is
divided, usually into an upper and lower lip, as in the Lamiaceae and Orchidaceae.
Limb. Expanded portion of corolla or calyx above the tube, throat or claw.
Lobe. Any, usually rounded, segment or part of the perianth.
Lodicule. Abortive perianth part in the Poaceae; hyaline scales at base of ovary in the
Poaceae.
Palate. The raised area in the throat of a sympetalous corolla.
Pappus. Bristly or scaly calyx in the Asteraceae.
Petal. A corolla member or segment; a unit of the corolla.
Posterior Lobe. The lobe next to axis, away from the subtending bract; adaxial lobe.
Posterior Ridges, Lines, Grooves. The lines, grooves, ridges in or on the ventral side,
adaxial, within the perianth.
Pouch or Sac. A bag-shaped structure.
Scale. Small, scarious to coriaceous flattened bodies within the perianth, as in the
Cyperaceae and Asteraceae.
Sepal. A calyx member or segment; a unit of the calyx.
Spur. A tubular or pointed projection from the perianth.
Standard, Banner, or Vexillum. The upper, usually wide petal in a papilionaceous
corolla.
Tepal. A member or segment of perianth in which the parts are not differentiated into
distinct sepals and petals.
Throat. An open, expanded tube in the perianth.
Tube. The cylindrical part of the perianth.
Ventral Side. Top side or upper side of a perianth part.
Wing. Lateral petals, as in the Fabaceae; a flattened extension, appendage or projection
from a perianth part.
B. Hypanthium Parts
Base. Bottom or lower portion of the hypanthium.
Limb. Free, flared portion of the hypanthium.
Neck. Narrowed portion of hypanthium, between the base and a flared limb.
Tube or Casing. Cylindrical part of the hypanthium.
 C. Perianth Types
(Classification based primarily on fusion of parts)
Achlamydeous. Without perianth.
Apetalous. No petals or corolla.
Apopetalous or Choripetalous. With separate petals.
Aposepalous or Chorisepalous. With separate sepals.
Asepalous. No sepals or calyx.
Chlamydeous. With perianth.
Dichlamydeous. With perianth composed of distinct calyx and corolla.
Homochlamydeous. With perianth composed of similar parts, each part a tepal.
Sympetalous. With fused petals.
Synsepalous. With fused sepals.
D. Perianth and Hypanthium Structural Types
Actinomorphic. With radially arranged perianth parts; ray-like figure.
Bilabiate. Two-lipped, with two unequal divisions.
Calcarate. Spurred.
Calceolate. Slipper-shaped, as in the corolla of Cypripedium.
Campanulate. Bell-shaped; with flaring tube about as broad as long and a flaring limb.
Carinate. Keeled.
Corniculate. Horned.
Coronate. Tubular or flaring perianth or staminal outgrowth; petaloid appendage.
Cruciate. Four separate petals in cross form.
Cucullate. Hooded.
Galeate. Helmet-shaped, as one sepal in Aconitum.
Gibbous. Inflated on one side near the base.
Globose. Round.
Infundibular. Funnel-shaped.
Ligulate or Ray. Strap-shaped.
Papilionaceous. With large posterior petal (banner or standard) two lateral petals (wings)
and usually two connate lower petals (keel); as in the Fabaceae.
Personate. Two-lipped with the upper arched and the lower protruding into corolla
throat.
Rotate. Wheel-shaped, with short tube and wide limb at right angles to tube.
Saccate. Pouch-like.
Salverform. Trumpet-shaped. With slender tube and limb nearly at right angles to tube.
Subglobose. Almost round or spherical.
Tubular. Cylindrical.
Unguiculate. Clawed.
Urceolate. Urn-shaped.
Ventricose. Inflated on one side near the middle.
 Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:
IX. Androecium
A. Androecial Parts
Stamen. Male sporophyll within the flower; floral organ that bears pollen in angiosperms.
Staminodium. Sterile stamen, may be modified as a nectary or petaloid structure.
Staminal Disc. A fleshy, elevated cushion formed from coalesced staminodia or nectaries.

B. Androecial Types
(Classification based primarily on fusion of parts)
Apostemonous. With separate stamens.
Diadelphous. With two groups of stamens connate by their filaments.
Gynandrial or Gynostemial. With fused stamens and carpels (stigma and style) as in the
Orchidaceae.
Monadelphous. With one group of stamens connate by their filaments.
Petalostemonous. With filaments fused to corolla, anthers free.
Polydelphous. With several groups of stamens connate by their filaments.
Syngenesious. With fused anthers.
C. Stamen Parts
Anther. Pollen-bearing portion of stamen.
Filament. Stamen stalk.
D. Stamen Structural Types (Classification based primarily on structure of
filament and anther)
Note: In this classification intermediate types of stamens do occur; shapes, apices, and
bases of anthers should be described separately and independently of stamen type.
Appendicular. Typical stamen with a variously-shaped or modified, protruding
connective, as in Viola.
Laminar. Leaf-like stamen without a distinct anther and filament but with embedded or
superficial microsporangia, as in Degeneria.
Petalantherous. With a terminal anther and distinctly petaloid filament, as in Saxifraga.
Petaloid. Petal-like stamen without distinct anther and filament but with marginal
microsporangia, as in Magnolia nitida.
Filantherous or Typical. Stamen with distinct anther and filament with or without thecal
appendages, as in Rhexia or Vaccinium.
E. Anther Parts
Connective. Filament extension between thecae.
Locule. Compartment of an anther.
Pollen Grain. Young male gametophyte.
Pollen Sac. Male sporangium.
Theca. One half of anther containing two pollen sacs or male sporangia.
F. Anther Types (Classification based on dehiscence)
Longitudinal. Dehiscing along long axis of theca.
 Extrorse. Dehiscing longitudinally outward.
  Introrse. Dehiscing longitudinally inward.
 Latrorse. Dehiscing longitudinally and laterally.
Poricidal. Dehiscing through a pore at apex of theca.
Transverse. Dehiscing at rightangles to long axis of theca.
Valvular. Dehiscing through a pore covered by a flap of tissue.
G. Anther Attachment
Basifixed. Anther attached at its base to apex of filament.
Dorsifixed. Anther attached dorsally and medially to apex of filament.
Subbasifixed. Anther attached near its base to apex of filament.
Versatile. Dorsifixed but anther seemingly swinging free on the filament.
H. Pollen
(See palynology in Chapter 8)
Dyads. Grains occurring in clusters of two.
Filiform. Thread-like.
Monad. Grains occurring singly.
Pollinia. Grains occurring in uniform coherent masses.
Polyad. Grains occurring in groups of more than four.
Tetrads. Grains occurring in groups of four.

Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:

X. Gynoecium
A. Gynoecial Parts
Carpel. Female sporophyll within flower; floral organ that bears ovules in angiosperms.
Carpopodium. Short, thick, pistillate stalk.
Locule. Ovary cavity.
Ovary. Ovule-bearing part of pistil.
Placenta. Ovule-bearing region of ovary wall.
Stigma. Pollen-receptive portion of pistil.
Stipe. Pistillate stalk.
Style. Attenuated, non-ovule-bearing portion of pistil between stigma and ovary.
B. Gynoecial Types
(Classification based on fusion)
Apocarpous. With carpels separate.
Semicarpous. With ovaries of adjacent carpels partly fused, stigmas and styles separate.
Syncarpous. With stigmas, styles, and ovaries completely fused.
Synovarious. With ovaries of adjacent carpels completely fused, styles and stigmas
separate.
Synstylovarious. With ovaries and styles of adJacent carpels completely fused, stigmas
separate.
Unicarpellous or Stylodious. With solitary, free carpel in gynoecium
C. Carpel Parts
Funiculus. Stalk by which ovule is attached to placenta.
Locule. Ovary cavity.
Ovary. Ovule-bearing part of carpel in simple ovary.
Ovule. Embryonic seed consisting of integument(s) and nucellus.
Placenta. Ovule-bearing region of ovary wall.
Stigma. Pollen receptive portion of carpel.
Stipe, Podogyne, Carpopodium. Basal stalk.
Style. Attenuated portion of carpel between stigma and ovary.
D. Carpel Types Classification based on presence or absence of style and
stipe)
Astylocarpellous. Without a style and a stipe.
Astylocarpepodic. Without a style, with a stipe.
Stylocarpepodic. With a style and stipe.
Stylocarpellous. With a style and without a stipe, the normal carpel.
E. Stigma Types
(Classification based on shape)
Capitate. Head-like.
Clavate. Club-shaped.
Crested or Cristate. With a terminal ridge or tuft.
Decurrent. Elongate, extending downward.
Diffuse. Spread over a wide surface.
Discoid. Disc-like.
Fimbriate. Fringed.
Lineate. In lines, stigmatic surface linear.
Lobed. Divided into lobes.
Plumose. Feather-like.
Terete. Cylindrical and elongate.
F. Style Types (Classification based primarily on shape)
Astylous. Style absent.
Conduplicate. Folded with a longitudinal groove.
Cristate. Crested.
Eccentric. Off-center style.
Fimbriate. Fringed.
Flabellate. Fan-shaped.
Geniculate. Bent abruptly.
Gynobasic. Attached at base of ovary in central depression.
Heterostylous. With styles of different sizes or lengths or shapes within a species.
Homostylous. With styles of same sizes or lengths and shapes.
Involute. With margins infolded longitudinally, with groove present.
Petaloid. Petal-like.
Stylopodic. With a stylopodium or discoid base, as in the Apiaceae.
Terete. Cylindrical and elongate.
Tuberculate. With hard, swollen, persistent base or tubercle.
Umbraculate. Umbrella-shaped, as in Sarracenia.
G. Ovule Parts
Chalaza. End of ovule opposite micropyle.
Embryo Sac. Female gametophyte.
Integuments. Outer covering of ovule; embryonic seed coat.
Micropyle. Hole through integument(s).
Nucellus. Female sporangium within ovule; megasporangium in seed plants.
Raphe. Longitudinal ridge on outer integument.
H. Ovule Types
(Classification based on orientation of ovule body in relation to the
funiculus and micropyle)
Amphitropous. With body bent or curved on both sides so that the micropyle is near the
medially attached funiculus.
Anatropous. With body completely inverted so that funiculus is attached basally near
adjoining micropyle area.
Campylotropous. With body bent or curved on one side so that micropyle is near
medially attached funiculus.
Hemianatropous or Hemitropous. With body half-inverted so that funiculus is attached
near middle with micropyle terminal and at right angles.
Orthotropous or Atropous. With straight body so that funicular attachment is at one end
and micropyle at other.

Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:

XI. Fruits
A. Fruit Parts
Carpophore. Floral axis extension between adjacent carpels, as in the Apiaceae.
Ectocarp or Exocarp. Outermost layer of pericarp.
Endocarp. Innermost differentiated layer of pericarp.
Funiculus. Seed stalk.
Mericarp. A portion of fruit that seemingly matured as a separate fruit.
Mesocarp. Middle layer of pericarp.
Pericarp. Fruit wall.
Placenta. Region of attachment of seeds on inner fruit wall.
Replum. Persistent septum after dehiscence of fruits, as in the Brassicaceae.
Retinaculum, Jaculator or Echma. A persistent indurated, hook-like funiculus in the
fruits of Acanthaceae.
Rostellum or Beak. Persistent stylar base on fruit.
Seed. A matured ovule.
Septum or Dissepiment. Partition.
B. Fruit Structural Types
(Classification based primarily on origin, texture, and dehiscence; types
grouped as simple, aggregate, multiple, accessory.)
1. Simple Fruits
(Fruit derived from the ovary of a solitary pistil in a single flower)
 a. Dry Indehiscent Fruit Types
(Fruits that do not split open at maturity)
Achene. A one-seeded, dry, indehiscent fruit with seed attached to fruit wall at one point
only, derived from a one-loculed superior ovary.
Balausta. Many-seeded, many- loculed indehiscent fruit with a tough, leathery pericarp,
as in Punica.
Calybium. A hard one-loculed dry fruit derived from an inferior ovary, as in Quercus.
Capsule, Indehiscent. Dry fruit derived from a two- or more loculed ovary, as in Peplis.
Caryopsis or Grain. A one-seeded dry, indehiscent fruit with the seed coat adnate to the
fruit wall, derived from a one-loculed superior ovary.
Cypsela. An achene derived from a one-loculed, inferior ovary.
Nut. A one-seeded, dry, indehiscent fruit with a hard pericarp, usually derived from a
one-loculed ovary.
Nutlet. A small nut.
Samara. A winged, dry fruit.
Utricle. A small, bladdery or inflated. one-seeded. dry fruit.
b. Dry Dehiscent Fruit Types
(Fruits that split open at maturity)
Capsule. Dry, dehiscent fruit derived from a compound ovary of 2 or more carpels.
Diplotegium. A pyxis derived from an inferior ovary.
Follicle. A dry, dehiscent fruit derived from one carpel that splits along one suture.
Legume. A usually dry, dehiscent fruit derived from one carpel that splits along two
sutures.
Loment. A legume that separates transversely between seed sections.
Silicle. A dry, dehiscent fruit derived from two or more carpels that dehisce along two
sutures and which has a persistent partition after dehiscence and is as broad as, or broader,
than long.
Silique. A silicle type fruit that is longer than broad.
c. Capsule Types
(Classification based on type of dehiscence)
Acrocidal Capsule. One that dehisces through terminal slits, or fissures, as in Staphylea.
Anomalicidal or Rupturing Capsule. One that dehisces irregularly, as in Ammannia.
Basicidal Capsule. One that dehisces through basal slits or fissures, as in some species of
Aristolochia.
Circumscissle Capsule or Pyxis. One that dehisces circumferentially, as in Plantago.
Denticidal Capsule. One that dehisces apically, leaving a ring of teeth, as in Cerastium.
Indehiscent Capsule. One that does not dehisce at maturity, as in Peplis.
Loculicidal Capsule. One that dehisces longitudinally into the cavity of the locule, as in
Epilobium.
Operculate Capsule. One that dehisces through pores, each of which is covered by a flap,
cap, or lid, as in Papaver.
Poricidal Capsule. One that dehisces through pores, as in Triodanis.
Septicidal Capsule. One that dehisces longitudinally through the septa, as in Penstemon.
Valvular or Septifragal Capsule. One with valves breaking away from the septa, as in
Ipomoea.
 d. Schizocarpic Fruit Types
(Fruits derived from a simple, two- or more-locular compound ovary in which the
locules separate at fruit maturity simulating fruits derived from the ovaries of
simple pistils)
Schizocarpic Achenes. Separating achenes which are one-seeded, dry, indehiscent fruits
with seed attached to fruit wall at one point only, derived from a superior ovary, as in
Sidalcea.
Schizocarpic Berries. Separating berries which have a fleshy pericarp, as in Phytolacca.
Schizocarpic Carcerules. Separating carcerules which are dry, fewseeded, indehiscent
locules, as in Althaea.
Schizocarpic Follicles. Separating follicles which are dry, dehiscent fruits derived from
one carpel, splitting along one suture, as in Apocynaceae.
Schizocarpic Mericarps, Cremocarp, or Carpopodium. Separating mericarps which
are dry, seed-like fruits derived from an inferior ovary, as in the Apiaceae.
Schizocarpic Nutlets, Cenobium. Separating nutlets which are dry,indehiscent 4-parted
fruits with a hard pericarp around a gynobasic style, as in the Boraginaceae and
Lamiaceae.
Schizocarpic Samaras. Separating samaras which are winged, dry fruits, as in Acer.
e. Fleshy Fruit Types
Amphisarca. A berry-like succulent fruit with a crustaceous or woody rind, as in
Lagenaria.
Berry. Fleshy fruit, with succulent pericarp, as in Vitis.
Drupe. A fleshy fruit with a stony endocarp, as in Prunus.
Drupelet. A small drupe, as in Rubus.
Hesperidium. A thick-skinned septate berry with the bulk of the fruit derived from
glandular hairs, as in Citrus.
Pepo. A berry with a leathery nonseptate rind derived from an inferior ovary, as in
Cucurbita.
Pyrene. Fleshy fruit with each seed surrounded by a bony endocarp, as in Ilex.
2. Aggregate Fruit Types (Conocarpium)
(A group of separate fruits developed from carpels of one flower)
Achenecetum. An aggregation of achenes, as in Ranunculus.
Baccacetum or Etaerio. An aggregation of berries, as in Actaea.
Drupecetum. An aggregation of drupelets, as in Rubus.
Follicetum. An aggregation of follicles, as in Caltha.
Samaracetum. An aggregation of samaras, as in Liriodendron.
3. Multiple Fruit Types
(Fruits on a common axis that are usually coalesced and derived from the ovaries of
several flowers)
Bibacca. A fused double berry, as in Lonicera.
Sorosis. Fruits on a common axis that are usually coalesced and derived from the ovaries
of several flowers, as in Morus.
Syconium. A syncarp with the achenes borne on the inside of a hollowed-out receptacle
or peduncle, as in Ficus.
 4. Accessory Fruit Types
(Fruits derived from simple or compound ovaries and some non-ovarian tissues, as
the hypanthium; classification arranged alphabetically; types of accessory structures
given in parentheses below.)
Bur (Involucre). Cypsela enclosed in dry involucre, as in Xanthium.
Coenocarpium (Various Structures). Multiple fruit derived from ovaries, floral parts,
and receptacles of many coalesced flowers, as in Ananas.
Diclesium (Calyx). Achene or nut surrounded by a persistent calyx, as in Mirabalis
Glans (Involucre). Nut subtended by a cupulate, dry involucre, as in Quercus.
Hip or Cynarrhodion (Receptacle and Hypanthium). An aggregation of achenes
surrounded by an urceolate receptacle and hypanthium, as in Rosa.
Pome (Receptacle and Hypanthium). A berry-like fruit, adnate to a fleshy receptacle,
with cartilaginous endocarp, as in Malus.
Pseudocarp (Receptacle). An aggregation of achenes embedded in a fleshy receptacle, as
in Fragaria.
Pseudodrupe (Involucre). Two-four loculed nut surrounded by a fleshy involucre, as in
Juglans.
Syconium (Receptacle, possibly peduncle). Multiple fruit surrounded by a hollow,
compound, fleshy receptacle, as in Ficus.
Tryma (Involucre). Two-four loculed nut surrounded by a dehiscent involucre at
maturity, as in most species of Carya.
Winged Nut (Bract). Nut enclosed in a winglike bract, as in Carpinus.

Section A. Structure and Specialized Characters:

XII. Seeds and Seedlings
A. Seed Parts
Aril. Outgrowth of funiculus, raphe, or integuments; or fleshy integuments or seed coat, a
sarcotesta.
Chalaza. Funicular end of seed body.
Embryo. Young sporophyte consisting of epicotyl, hypocotyl, radicle, and one or more
cotyledons.
Endosperm. Food reserve tissue in seed derived from fertilized polar nuclei; or food
reserve derived from megametophyte in gymnosperms.
Hilum. Funicular scar on seed coat.
Micropyle. Hole through seed coat.
Perisperm. Food reserve in seed derived from diploid nucellus or integuments.
Raphe. Ridge on seed coat formed from adnate funiculus.
Seed Coat. Outer protective covering of seed.
B. Seed Types
(Classification based on type of nourishing tissue)
Cotylespermous. With food reserve in cotyledon, derived from zygote.
Endospermous or Albuminous. With food reserve in endosperm or albumen, derived
from fertilized polar nuclei.
Hypocotylespermous or Macropodial. With food reserve stored in hypocotyl, derived
from zygote.
Perispermous. With food reserve in perisperm, derived from diploid nucellus or
integuments.
C. Embryo Parts
Coleoptile. Protective sheath around epicotyl in grasses.
Coleorhiza. Protective sheath around radicle in grasses.
Cotyledon. Embryonic leaf or leaves in seed.
Epicotyl. Apical end of embryo axis that gives rise to shoot system.
Hypocotyl. Embryonic stem in seed, located below cotyledons.
Plumule. Embryonic leaves in seed derived from epicotyl.
Radicle. Basal end of embryo axis that gives rise to root system.
D. Embryo Types
(Classification based primarily on embryo shape, size, and position)
Bent. Foliate embryo with expanded and usually thick cotyledons in an axile position bent
upon the hypocotyl in a jacknife position.
Broad. Basal, globular or lenticular embryo in copious endosperm.
Capitate. More or less basal head-like or turbinate embryo in copious endosperm.
Dwarf. Axial embryo variable in size relative to seed, small to nearly total size of seed;
seeds 0.2 - 2 mm. long.
Folded. Foliate embryo with cotyledons usually thin and extensively expanded and folded
in various ways.
Investing. Axial embryo usually erect with thick cotyledons overlapping and encasing the
somewhat dwarfed hypocotyl; endosperm wanting or limited.
Lateral. Basal or baso-lateral embryo, discoid or lenticular, usually surrounded by copious
endosperm.
Linear. Axial embryo several times longer than broad, straight, curved or coiled;
cotyledons not expanded; endosperm present or absent.
Micro. Axial embryo in minute seeds, less than 0.2 mm. long; minute and undifferentiated
to almost total size of seed.
Peripheral. Peripheral embryo large and elongate, arcuate, annular, spirolobal, or straight;
cotyledons narrow or expanded; perisperm central or lateral.
Rudimentary. Basal, small nonperipheral embryo in small to large seed; relatively
undifferentiated; endosperm copious.
Spatulate. Foliate, erect embryo with variable cotyledons, thin to thick and slightly
expanded to broad.
E. Aril Structural Types and Selected Seed Surface Features
1. Aril Structural Types
Arillate. General term for an outgrowth from the funiculus, seed coat or chalaza; or a
fleshy seed coat.
Carunculate. With an excrescent outgrowth from integuments near the hilum, as in
Euphorbia.Fibrous. With stringy or cord-like seed coat, as mace in Myristica.
Funicular. With a persistent elongate funiculus attached to seed coat, as in Magnolia.
Sarcous. With the seed coat fleshy.
Strophiolate. With elongate aril or strophiole in the hilum region.
2. Special Seed Surface Features
(See Surface in Section B of this chapter)
Alate. Winged.
Circumalate. Winged circumferentially.
Comose. With a tuft of trichomes.
Coronate. With a crown.
Crested. With elevated ridge or ridges, raphal.
Umbonate. With a distinct projection usually from the side.
Verrucose. Warty.
F. Seedling Parts

Cataphyll. Rudimentary scale leaf produced by seedling, usually in cryptocotylar species.

Collet. External demarcation between hypocotyl and root.
Eophyll. Term applied to first few leaves with green, expanded lamina developed by
seedlings; transitional type leaves developed before formation of adult leaves.
Metaphyll. Adult leaf.
G. Seedling Types
(Classification based on position of cotyledons in germination)
Cryptocotylar or Hypogeous. With the cotyledons remaining inside the seed; seed
usually remaining below ground
Phanerocotylar or Epigeous. With the cotyledons emergent from seed, usually appearing
above ground.