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Botanist Vocab > B > Flashcards

B Flashcards

1
Q

bacca

A

fleshy, indehiscent fruit with one too many seeds embedded in a pulpy mesocarp, endocarp not easily discernible;
e.g., blueberries (Vaccinium)

Synonym berry

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2
Q

baccate

A

fruit that looks like a berry but may or may not be a true berry; often applied to tropical and unusual berries; e.g., avocado (Persea americana)

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3
Q

back bulb

A

old orchid pseudobulb that no longer has leaves, often used for propagation

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4
Q

balausta

A

fleshy, indehiscent, many-seeded fruit with leathery exocarp, derived from a multicarpellate pistil; e.g., pomegranate (Punica granatum)

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5
Q

banner

A

flower petal typical of papilionoid legumes in the bean family (Fabaceae), usually the upper and largest petal; e.g., sweet peas (Lathyrus), lupines (Lupinus)

Synonym: standard, vexillum

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6
Q

barbed

A

with stiff, sharp, retrorse (or less commonly introrse) points

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7
Q

bare root

A

roots that would normally be surrounded by soil are exposed, plants are often shipped in this state to prevent the spread of soil-borne insects and pathogens

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8
Q

bark

A

the outer layer of woody stems, consists of living phloem, cork cambium, and cork (all tissues to the outside of the vascular cambium)

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9
Q

basal

A

at, attached to, or of the base, as with leaves attached to the base of a plant

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10
Q

basal placentation

A

ovule(s) attached at the base of the ovary in a simple pistil

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11
Q

basal plate

A

small stem portion of a bulb from which the roots grow downward and the leaves, inflorescence, and bracts grow upward

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12
Q

basal shoot

A

shoot growing from the base or roots of a tree or shrub, usually applied to those emerging from below ground

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13
Q

base

A

portion opposite the apex; closest to or at the point of attachment
Antonym: apex

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14
Q

basifixed

A

attached at the base, as with filaments attached to the base of anthers; see also dorsifixed, medifixed, versatile

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15
Q

basipetal

A

growing toward the base of the shoot or root

Antonym: acropetal

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16
Q

beak

A

an elongate tip or projection

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17
Q

bean

A

the seed of a legume; also sometimes used to refer to the whole fruit, in which case it is being used as a synonym of legume

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18
Q

beard

A

clump of hairs or fringe of tissue that appears fuzzy, as on the central portion of the three outer tepals of some irises (Iris)

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19
Q

bearing

A

having or producing; most commonly applied to plants that produce edible fruits

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20
Q

berry

A

fleshy, indehiscent fruit with one to many seeds embedded in a pulpy mesocarp, endocarp not easily discernible; often applied incorrectly to any small fleshy fruit; e.g., blueberry (Vaccinium) synonym : bacca

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21
Q

bi-

A

prefix meaning two

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22
Q

bicarpellate

A

having two carpels

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23
Q

bicolored

A

having two colors, usually applied to flowers

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24
Q

biconvex

A

shaped like a lentil, i.e., round and convex on both sides

Synonym: lenticular

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25
bicrenate
two-tiered scalloped margin where larger scallops have smaller scallops on them Synonym: doubly crenate
26
bidentate
having two teeth
27
biennial
plant whose entire life cycle occurs in two years: it grown from seed and produces leaves the first year, often as a basal rosette; it flowers, produces seeds, and dies the second year
28
biennial bearing
producing abundant fruit every other year, and minimal to no fruit in the alternating year Synonym: alternate bearing
29
bifid
split in two, as in some leaf blades
30
bifoliate, bifoliolate
having two leaves or leaflets
31
bifurcate
split into two branches
32
bilabiate
having two lips, as with some flowers; e.g., mint family (Lamiaceae)
33
bilaterally symmetrical
having a single plane of symmetry such that only one line drawn through the middle produces two mirror-image halves Synonym: irregular, zygomorphic Antonym: actinomorphic, radially symmetrical, regular
34
bilobed
having two lobes
35
binomial
the two-part scientific name fro a species, consisting of a genus (e.g., Acer) and a specific epithet (e.g., rubrum)
36
bipinnate
leaf that is pinnately dissected twice, leaflets arising along rachillas that themselves arise along a rachis
37
bisected
divided into two parts
38
biseriate
in two series
39
biserrate
margin teeth having teeth of their own, all pointing up toward the apex Synonym: doubly serrate
40
bisexual
having both female (egg) and male (sperm) reproductive cells in the same individual or reproductive structure
41
bitoned
having two tones of the same color, usually applied to flowers
42
black knot
large, dark, warty masses on the branches of Prunus spp. (especially cherry and plum) caused by the fungus Dibotryon morbosum
43
bladder
sac-like structure, often filled with air or liquid
44
blade
the usually broad and flattened part of a leaf or petal | Synonym: lamina
45
blind shoot
stem of a flowering plant that does not produce flowers, most commonly applied to roses (Rosa)
46
bloom
1. a flower or inflorescence; 2. gray-white waxy or powdery surface coating; 3. rapid localized growth of algae
47
blossom
a flower or inflorescence
48
bole
main stem or axis of a tree, between the roots and where branches begin to form the crown Synonym: trunk
49
bolt
grow rapidly, usually happens with seedlings or saplings and often occurs after a resource becomes newly available
50
bonsai
1. a woody plant, most commonly a tree, that is substantially reduced in size, usually accomplished through intentional manipulation under cultivation, but may also occur naturally under challenging growing conditions; 2. the Japanese art of growing dwarf woody plants
51
boot
remnant leaf base that remains attached to the trunk of some palm trees after the leaf dies
52
bough
a branch of a tree, usually applied to the larger branches
53
bourgeon, burgeon
a sprout or bud
54
brace root
adventitious root emerging from the lower part of a trunk and acting as structural support for a tree Synonym; anchor root, prop root, stilt root
55
brachyblast
stem with highly compressed internodes that usually bears the leaves and reproductive structure; e.g., ginkgos (Ginkgo), apples (Malus) Synonym: short shoot, spur Antonym: long shoot
56
bract
leaf-like structure subtending a flower or inflorescence or occurring in the inflorescence
57
bracteate
having bracts
58
bracteose
having numerous or showy bracts; e.g., the inflorescence of dogwood (Cornus florida)
59
bramble
a prickly plant, usually specifically applied to raspberries and blackberries (Rubus), less commonly to their other relatives in the rose family (Rosaceae)
60
branch
1. stem arising from another stem 2. the divarication of one structure into smaller versions or segments of that structure 3. the action of producing a divarication, as in branches of trees or veins in the leaves
61
branchlet
small branch
62
breaking
1. opening, as with flower or leaf buds in the spring | 2. ending, as with dormancy of a germinating seed
63
breastwood
new branches growing on an espaliered tree that usually must be pruned to keep the shape of the espalier
64
bristle
narrow, stiff hair
65
bud
immature flower, leaf, or stem still with its protective covering (bud scales, bracts, sepals, etc.)
66
bud scales
small leaf-like structures on the outside of the bud, protecting the developing flower, leaf, or stem
67
bulb
underground storage structure composed of buds attached to a small basal plate of stem tissue surrounded by fleshy leaf bases and bracts, majority of structure is leaf tissue; e.g., onions (Allium)
68
bulbil, bulbel
bud usually produced in leaf axils that can give rise to a new plant; e.g., plantlets on cycad trunks Synonym: aerial bulb
69
bulblet
small bulb, often growing from the base of a artery bulb
70
bullate
having a surface covered in smooth, rounded bumps
71
bundle scar
mark within the leaf scar on the stem from where leaf's vascular tissue was attached to the stem
72
bur, burr
seed dispersal unit (may be seed, fruit, carpel, etc.) that is armed for sticking to fur for dispersal
73
burgeon, bourgeon
to send forth new growth rapidly, as with a shoot bud
74
burl
woody knot in the trunk, branches, or roots of a tree, caused by something that has damaged the tree (infection, disease, or injury), prized for use in woodworking
75
bush
woody plant with multiple main stems, usually shorter than a tree Synonym: shrub
76
buttress
widened base of tree trunk, most commonly associated with trees in wet areas; e.g., bald cypress (Taxodium distichum)

Botanist Vocab (3 decks)

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