
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 on images for enlargements or captions and attributions. On a mobile phone, click on the information symbol ⓘ.

achene

cypsela
- achene
- alate
- androecium [ an-DREE-shee-uhm ]: see stamen, whorl
- annual
- 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
- barren
- beard [ beerd ]: see signal
- berry
- biennial
- bilabiate
- blade [ bleyd ]:see petiole
- bract
- 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
- conifer New in 2023!
- 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
- cypsela

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 node, 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
- mast
- 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
- node
- nutlet

palmate

rosette
- palmate
- palea [ PEY-lee-uh ]: see bract
- panicle [ PAN-i-kuhl ]: see raceme
- pappus
- pedicel
- peduncle
- peltate
- pepo [ PEE-poh ]: see berry
- perennial
- 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
- phototropism
- phyllary [ FIL-uh-ree ]: see bract
- phyllotaxis
- pilose [ PAHY-lohs ]: see pubescent
- plume, plumule
- pome
- polygamodioecious
- procumbent
- pubescent
- raceme
- racemose [ RAS-uh-mohs ]: see raceme, inflorescence
- ramentum
- rhizome
- rosette

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. This Glossary was created by Mary Free and Christa Watters, Extension Master Gardeners.