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caespitose

Growing in dense tufts.

Caespitose Uncinia banksii. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

calli

Circular, warty, stalked thickenings commonly found on the lip (labellum) of the orchid (plural of callus).

Two rows of calli on the labellum of the orchid Caladenia chlorostyla. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

callose

Hardened or thickened.

callus

Stalked thickening on the lip (labellum) of an orchid.

Two rows of calli on the labellum of the orchid Caladenia chlorostyla. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

calyx

The group of sepals, or outer floral leaves, of a flower.

The calyx of Corynocarpus laevigatus (karaka). Photographer: Tony Foster

campanulate

Bell-shaped.

canaliculate

With longitudinal channels or grooves.

canopy

The uppermost cover formed by the branches and leaves of trees or the spread of bushes,shrubs and ground covers.

The forest canopy. Photographer: Tony Foster
The forest canopy. Photographer: Tony Foster

canopy closure

Stage where canopies of shrub and tree species meet.

canopy manipulation

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

capillary

Hair-like.

capitula

Plural of capitulum: A dense head-like inflorescence of many flowers as occurs in most Asteraceae (daisies).

Capitula of Brachyglottis kirkii var kirkii. Photographer: Tony Foster

capitulum

A dense head-like inflorescence of many flowers as occurs in most Asteraceae (daisies).

A capitulum of Brachyglottis kirkii var kirkii flowers. Photographer: Tony Foster

capsule

A dry fruit formed from two or more fused carpels that splits open when ripe.

The capsule of Pittosporum cornifolium. Photographer: Tony Foster

carbon sinks

Carbon locked away, or sequestered e.g. by trees.

carpel

One unit of the female part of a flower that consists of a basal seed-bearing ovary joined to a receptive stigma by a stalk-like style.

cauda

Tail-like appendage. (pl. caudae; adj. caudate).

The tall appendages of a greenhood orchid. Photographer: Tony Foster

cauline

Belonging to the stem, as in cauline leaves emerging from the stem.

Cauline leaves of Diplodium brumalum. Photographer: Tony Foster
Fruiting bodies of Dysoxylum spectabile (kohekohe) emerging from the stem. Photographer: Tony Foster

cerise

Bright or deep red.

chartaceous

Having a papery texture.

The papery texture of Baumea articulatum. Photographer: Tony Foster

chlorophyll

The green pigment of plants.

The green leaves of plants. Photographer: Tony Foster

chlorotic

Lacking chlorophyll, therefore yellowish, suffering from chlorosis.

Leaves of Coprosma grandifolia lacking chlorophyll. Photographer: Tony Foster

cilia

Short small hair–like structures on a cell or microorganism.

ciliate

With small hairs (cilia).

The small hairs on the leaves of Pomaderris edgarleyi. Photographer: Tony Foster

ciliolate

Diminutive of ciliate, i.e., having very small hairs.

The very small hairs on the flowers of Geniostoma rupestris var ligustrifolium (hangehange). Photographer: Tony Foster

cladode

Flattened stem with the function of a leaf.

The flattened photosynthesising stems of Carmichaelia australis. Photographer: Tony Foster

cladodes

Usually flattened, photosynthetically active branches, these may be leaf–like (e.g., Phyllocladus) or branch–like (e.g., Carmichaelia).

clavate

Club-shaped, gradually widening towards apex.

The club shapes on Knightia excelsa (rewarewa). Photographer: Tony Foster

cleft

Having indentations that extend about halfway to the center, as in certain leaves.

The cleft leaves of Phormium tenax (flax). Photographer: Tony Foster
Illustration of cleft leaf edge. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison

cleistogamous

Flowers that self-fertilise without opening.

coherent

Sticking together of like parts.

column

Stamen and stigmas fused to form a single organ.

Anterior view of column of Pterostylis cardiostigma with pollen on stigma. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe
Lateral view of labellum and column of Pterostylis cardiostigma. Note pollen on stigma. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

composite

Many small flowers tightly packed together e.g., daisy flowers.

A composite inflorescence of Senecio lautus subsp. lautus. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

compound

Composed of several similar parts (cf simple).

Compound leaves of Pseudopanax laetus. Photographer: Tony Foster
A compound leaf of Pseudopanax laetus. Photographer: Tony Foster
Illustration of digitally compound leaf. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison

concave

Curved inward.

concolorous

Of the same colour.

Leaves of Vitex lucens (puriri) with the same colour. Photographer: Tony Foster

conical

Cone-shaped.

connate

Fusion of like parts.

Fusion of like parts in Diplodium trullifolium. Photographer: Tony Foster

conspecific

Individuals of the same species.

cordate

Heart-shaped with the notch at the base.

The cordate leaf of kawakawa. Photographer: Tony Foster
A cordate leaf base. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison

coriaceous

Leather–like; thick, tough, and somewhat rigid.

The thick leathery leaves of Pittosporum cornifolium. Photographer: Tony Foster

corolla

The whorl of petals of a flower.

The whorl of petals of Calystegia marginata. Photographer: Tony Foster

corymb

Modified raceme where stalks of lower flowers are elongated to same level as the upper flowers.

The elongated flower stalks of Tecomanthe speciosa. Photographer: Tony Foster

cosmopolitan

A species or other taxonomic group that is distributed widely throughout the world.

costa

The midrib.

Note the pronounced midrib of Pouteria. Photographer: Tony Foster

crenate

With rounded teeth (bluntly toothed) along the margin.

The crenate leaves of Streblus banksii. Photographer: Tony Foster
Illustration of crenate leaf edge. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison

crisped

Margin tightly wavy or crinkled, curled or wavy.

Illustration of crinkled or curled leaf. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison

cristate

With a crest.

crown

The growing point of an upright rhizome or trunk. This usually produces a tuft or ring of fronds.

The crown of a Agathis australis (kauri) tree. Photographer: Tony Foster

crura

The two small projections at the mouth of a utricle in Carex.

cucullate

Hood-shaped.

The cucullate post-anther lobe of the orchid Thelymitra longifolia. Photographer: Tony Foster

culm

The erect stem of a grass.

Erect stem. Photographer: Tony Foster

cuneate

Wedge-shaped.

The wedge shaped leaves of Pittosporum kirkii. Photographer: Tony Foster

cupular

Cup-shaped.

Cups holding nikau (Rhopalostylis sapida) fruit. Photographer: Tony Foster

cuttings

Stems and/or leaves taken from plants for propagation.

Cuttings planted into a growing medium. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

cyathium

A cup-like structure that surrounds the inflorescence in Euphorbia.

cyme

Inflorescence at the terminus of a branch and where new flowering branches emerge laterally below the flower.

Cyme of Avicinnia marina subs. australasica (mangrove). Photographer: Tony Foster
Cyme of Hoheria populnea. Photographer: Tony Foster

cytorace

Populations (or infraspecific taxa) that differ in chromosome number or chromosome morphology, e.g., Nematoceras trilobum agg. has two cytoraces, a diploid and a tetraploid (in which the chromosomes are doubled).

cytotype

Populations (or infraspecific taxa) that differ in chromosome number or chromosome morphology, e.g., Nematoceras trilobum agg. has two cytotypes, a diploid and a tetraploid (in which the chromosomes are doubled).

caudex

The axis of a woody plant, esp. a palm or tree fern, comprising the stem and root.

The caudex of Cyathea dealbata (silver fern). Photographer: Tony Foster

columnar

Shaped like a column.

The columns of Cordyline australis (cabbage tree) outside parliament in Wellington. Photographer: Tony Foster
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