NEW in 2022!
To back up and bolster the wealth of original content provided on our Web site, Master Gardeners of Northern Virginia (MGNV) is building a glossary of horticultural and botanical terms supplemented with photographs and diagrams. For background information see The Glossary Project and “Word of the Week.”
Note that on each page: hyperlinks in green type link to other MGNV glossary words; click images to enlarge or for captions.
achene
cymose
- achene
- androecium [ an-DREE-shee-uhm ]: see stamen, whorl
- anther
- appressed [ uh-PREST ]: see pubescent
- arachnoid [ uh-RAK-noid ]: see pubescent
- aril
- axil [ AK-sil ]: see petiole
- axillary [ AK-suh-ler-ee ]: see petiole
- beard [ beerd ]: see signal
- berry
- bilabiate
- blade [ bleyd ]:see petiole
- bract new in 2022!
- bristly [ BRIS-lee ]: see pubescent
- calyx [ KEY-liks, KAL-iks ]: see whorl
- canescent [ kuh-NES-uhnt ]: see pubescent
- cauliflory
- ciliate [ sil-ee-it, -eyt ]: see pubescent
- clasping [ KLAS-ping, KLAH-sping ]: see petiole
- corolla [ kuh-ROL-uh ]: see whorl
- crest [ krest ]: see signal
- crosier, crozier
- crown [ kroun ]: see rosette
- crustose [ KRUHS-tohs ]: see lichen
- culm
- cupule [ KYOO-pyool ]: see bract
- cyme
- cymose [ SAHY-mohs, sahy-MOHS: see cyme, inflorescence
deciduous
glume
hesperidium
nutlet
- hesperidium [ hes-puh-RID-ee-uhm ]: see berry
- hirsute [ HUR-soot, hur-SOOT ]: see pubescent
- hispid [ HIS-pid ]: see pubescent
- hoary [ HAWR-ee, HOHR-ee ]: see pubescent
- holdfast
- inflorescence
- internode [ IN-ter-nohd ]: see petiole, stolon
- involucre [ IN-vuh-loo-ker ]: see bract
- knee
- lamina [ LAM-uh-nuh ]: see frond, petiole
- lanate [ LEY-neyt ]: see pubescent
- lanceolate
- lemma [ LEM-uh ]: see bract
- lenticel
- lichen
- marcescent new in 2022!
- megasporangium [ meg-uh-spaw-RAN-jee-uhm, -spoh- ]: see sporangium
- megasporophyll [ meg-uh-SPAWR-uh-fil, -SPOHR- ]: see sporangium
- megastrobilus [ meg-uh-stroh-BAHY-luhs ]: see strobilus
- microsporangium [ mahy-kroh-spaw-RAN-jee-uhm, -spoh- ]: see sporangium, stamen
- microsporophyll [ mahy-kruh-SPAWR-uh-fil, -SPOHR- ]: see sporangium
- microstrobilus [ mahy-kroh-stroh-BAHY-luhs ]: see strobilus
- monoecious [ muh-NEE-shuhs ]: see dioecious
- node [ nohd ]: see petiole, stolon
- nutlet
palmate
rosette
- palmate
- palea [ PEY-lee-uh ]: see bract
- panicle [ PAN-i-kuhl ]: see raceme
- pappus
- pedicel new in 2022!
- peduncle
- peltate
- pepo [ PEE-poh ]: see berry
- perfoliate [ per-FOH-lee-it, -eyt ]: see petiole
- perianth [PER-ee-anth ]: see whorl
- persistent
- perigynium [ puh-RIJ-uh-nee-uhm ]:see bract, sedge
- petal [ PET-l ]: see whorl
- petiole new in 2022!
- phototropism
- phyllary [ FIL-uh-ree ]: see bract
- phyllotaxis
- pilose [ PAHY-lohs ]: see pubescent
- plume, plumule
- pome
- procumbent new in 2022!
- pubescent
- raceme
- racemose [ RAS-uh-mohs ]: see raceme, inflorescence
- ramentum
- rhizome
- rosette new in 2022!
samara
sucker
tepal
wort
- tepal [ TEE-puhl, TEP-uhl ]: see whorl
- tomentose [ tuh-MEN-tohs, TOH-muhn-tohs ]: see pubescent
- trimorphic
- twine
- velvety [ VEL-vi-tee ]: see pubescent
- verticillaster
- villous [ VIL-uhs ]: see pubescent
- whorl
- woolly or wooly [ WOOL-ee ]: see pubescent
- wort
Word meanings and phonetic spellings have been informed by Dictionary.com, Encarta World English Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, and Flora of Virginia, which also was used as a plant species reference. Other sources that may have been consulted for general plant Identification and Information are included in the list of Sources and References for the Tried and True Native Plant Selections for the Mid-Atlantic.