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Glossary

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abaxial

Facing away from the stem of a plant (especially denoting the lower surface of a leaf).

Note the lower surfaces of the puka (Meryta sinclairii) leaves. Photographer: Tony Foster

acerose

Narrow with a sharp stiff point.

Note the narrow leaves with a sharp point of Coprosma acerosa. Photographer: Tony Foster
Acerose leaf shape. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison

achene

A simple, dry, one–seeded (one–celled) fruit.

Achenes of Senecio lautus subsp. lautus. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

acicular

Needle-shaped.

Acicular leaf shape. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison

acidic

Having a low pH, opposite of basic or alkaline.

acroscopic

Pointing towards, or on the side of, the apex.

Acroscopic pinnules of Asplenium bulbiferum.

acuminate

Gradually tapered to a point. Sharply pointed.

The sharply pointed leaves of Geniostoma ligustrifolium var ligustrifolium (hangehange). Photographer: Tony Foster
An acuminate leaf tip. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison

acute

Pointed or sharp, tapering to a point with straight sides.

An acute leaf tip. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison
Acute leaf tips of Pittosporum cornifolium. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

adnate

Fusion of unlike parts, e.g. stamens fused to petals.

adventive

A plant that grows in the wild in New Zealand but which was introduced to the country by humans.

Gorse (Ulex europaeus), an adventive plant. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

agglutinated

Stuck together.

allelopath

An organism that releases compounds that are toxic to other species.

allelopathy

The release by an organism of compounds that are toxic to other species.

alternate

Attached singly at each node but changing from one side of a stem to the other.

The alternate leaves of Myrsine oliveri. Photographer: Tony Foster
The alternate leaves of Nothofagus menziesii (silver beech). Photographer: Tony Foster

alveolate

Honeycombed with ridged partitions.

amplexicaul

Clasping or surrounding the stem.

The leaves of Hebe amplexicaulis clasping the stem. Photographer: Tony Foster

anamorph

Asexual fruiting stage, usually of an ascomycete fungus.

anastomosing

Rejoining after branching, as in some leaf veins.

Anastomising on the leaf of Fuchsia excorticata. Photographer: Tony Foster

annual

A plant that completes its complete life cycle within the space of a year.

annual evergreen

Plants that lose their over-wintering leaves rapidly in the first half of the growing season. Annual evergreens never present a leafless appearance, but are closer in a functional sense to a deciduous plant than they are to multi-annual evergreens.

annulus

Line of thickened cells that governs the release of spores from a sporangium.

Annulus cells on the sporangia of Pneumatopteris pennigera. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

anterior

Towards the front.

anther

The pollen-bearing portion of the stamen.

The anther on Coprosma grandifolia. Photographer: Tony Foster

antheridium

Male reproductive organ formed on the prothallus of a fern.

anthesis

Flowering period from when the bud opens

Flowering Metrosideros excelsa (pohutukawa). Photographer: Tony Foster

apex

Tip; the point furthest from the point of attachment.

apices

Plural of apex. Tip, the point furthest from the point of attachment.

apiculate

Bearing a short slender and flexible point.

The short, slender and flexible points on the petals of Geniostoma ligustrifolium var ligustrifolium. Photographer: Tony Foster
An apiculate leaf tip. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison

apiculus

A small, slender point.

apomixis

A form of reproduction whereby seed is formed without the usual mode of sexual fusion.

Apomixis as illustrates by Coprosma robusta. Photographer: Tony Foster

appressed

Pressed against another organ or surface.

The appressed leaves of Libocedrus plumosa. Photographer: Tony Foster

aquatic

Growing, or living in, or frequenting water. Applied to plants and animals and their habitats. Opposite of terrestrial (land living).

An aquatic sedge, Isolepis fluitans var. fluitans. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

archegonium

Female reproductive organ of a fern formed on the prothallus.

arcuate

Curved into an arch.

Coriaria arborea. Photographer: Tony Foster

aril

An often fleshy appendage on the outside of a seed.

Fleshy appendage to the seed of Alectryon excelsus subsp excelsus (titoki). Photographer: Tony Foster
Fleshy appendage to the seed of Alectryon excelsus subsp excelsus (titoki). Photographer: Tony Foster

artificial thinning

Selectively removing vegetation to create gaps to facilitate natural invasion of native plants, or to plant later successional plants.

ascending

Growing obliquely upward.

asexual

Vegetative reproduction, lacking sexual involvement by sperm or egg cells.

auricle

A small, ear-shaped appendage.

auriculate

Bearing a small, ear-shaped appendage.

An auriculate leaf base. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison

autogamous

Self-fertilising flowers.

awn

A stiff or bristle like projection often from the tip or back of an organ.

Awns on Cotaderia toetoe. Photographer: Tony Foster

axil

The upper angle between the leaf and the stem.

Image showing the angle between the leaf and stem of Poutere costata. Photographer: Tony Foster

axis

The longitudinal supporting structure around which organs are borne, e.g., a stem bearing leaves.

Stem bearing the leaves of Agathis australis (kauri). Photographer: Tony Foster

autotrophic

Of or relating to organisms (as green plants) that can make complex organic nutritive compounds from simple inorganic sources by photosynthesis.

attenuate

Narrowing gradually.

Attanuate leaf base. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison
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