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Glossary

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deciduous

Marked leaflessness in winter, and greater than 90% leaves lost by beginning of spring flush.

Deciduous Fuchsia excorticata. Photographer: Tony Foster

decrescent

Diminishing.

decumbent

With a prostrate or curved base and an erect or ascending tip.

Tetragonia tetragonioides. Photographer: Tony Foster

decurrent

Attached by a broadened base.

Decurrent leaves of Dacrycarpus dacrydioides (kahikatea). Photographer: Tony Foster
Decurrent leaves of Dacrycarpus dacrydioides (kahikatea). Photographer: Tony Foster

decurved

Curved downward.

deflexed

Bent abruptly downward.

Leaves of Pseudopanax ferox bent abruptly downwards. Photographer: Tony Foster

dehiscence

The time of opening at maturity to release the contents, e.g., a capsule releasing the seeds.

Capsule of Phormium tenax (flax) releasing seed. Photographer: Tony Foster

dehiscent

Splitting open at maturity to release contents (of a fruit).

deltoid

Shaped broadly like an equilateral triangle.

dentate

Toothed along the margin with the teeth pointing outward, not forward.

Dentate fronds of Dicksonia fibrosa. Photographer: Tony Foster
Illustration of dentate leaf edge. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison

denticles

Minute teeth.

Denticles on the leaf margin of Lepidium flexicaule. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

denticulate

Having a very finely toothed margin.

dichotomous

Divided into two equal branches.

The two equal branches of Lygodium articulatum. Photographer: Tony Foster

digitiform

Finger-like.

dioecious

Having male and female flowers on separate plants of the same species.

Female flowers of Coprosma arboreus. Photographer: Tony Foster
Male flowers of Coprosma arboreus. Photographer: Tony Foster
Dioecious flowers of Pittosporum crassifolium. Photographer: Tony Foster

diploid

With two complete sets of chromosomes in each cell.

disarticulating

Separating at a joint.

discoid

Disc-shaped.

Disc-shapes in the flower of Dysoxylum spectabile. Photographer: Tony Foster

disjunct

A species or other taxonomic group that occupies areas that are widely separated and scattered and therefore have a discontinuous distribution.

distal

Toward the apex, away from the point of attachment (cf. proximal).

Distal leaves of Sophora chathamica. Photographer: Tony Foster
Distal leaves of Sticherus flabellatus. Photographer: Tony Foster

distichous

In two rows on opposite sides of the axis.

Two rows of leaves on Prumnopitys taxifolia (matai). Photographer: Tony Foster

divaricating

Branching at a very wide angle with stiff intertwined stems.

Divaricating stems of juvenile Pennantia corymbosa. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

domatia

Small structures on the lower surface of a leaf in some woody dicotyledons, located in the axils of the primary veins and usually consisting of depressions partly enclosed by leaf tissue or hairs.

Domatia on the underside of the leaf of Coprosma grandifolia. Photographer: Tony Foster
Domatia on the underside of the leaf of Elaeocarpus dentatus (hinau). Photographer: Tony Foster

dorsal

Of the back or outer surface relative to the axis. (cf. ventral).

drupe

A stone fruit, the seed enclosed in a bony covering (endocarp) which is surrounded by a + fleshy layer (mesocarp).

A drupe of Hedycarya arbor (pigeon wood). Photographer: Tony Foster
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