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pakihi

A term which in its strict sense refers to open clears within forest dominated by low scrub and rushes. However, more usually used to refer natural and induced wetlands and their associated shrublands. A vernacular most frequently used in the West Coast for impoverished soils and their associated peats, left after forest has been cleared.

palea

The small upper bract enclosing the flower of a grass.

palmately

Radiating from a point, as fingers radiating from the palm of a hand.

A palmately compound leaf. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison
Palmate leaves of Pseudopanax lessonii. Photographer: Tony Foster

palustrine

Pertaining to wet or marshy habitats. Term covers mires and marshes.

pandurate

Fiddle-shaped.

Leaf showing a fiddle shape. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison
Fiddle shape leaf of Streblus. Photographer: Tony Foster

panicle

Highly branched (multiple raceme).

Panicle of Rubus cissoides. Photographer: Tony Foster

papilla

A short rounded projection.

papillae

A soft, fleshy projection, usually small and nipple–like.

papillate

With short rounded projections.

papillose

Warty, with short rounded projections or gland-dotted.

parallel venation

Veins are parallel along leaf.

parasite

An organism that derives all its nourishment from its host.

patent

Spreading or expanded, e.g., spreading petals.

Spreading leaves of Dacrydium kirkii. Photographer: Tony Foster

peat

A mass of partially carbonised plant tissue formed by partial decomposition in water of various plants and especially of mosses of the genus Sphagnum, widely found in many parts of the world, varying in consistency from a turf to a slime used as a fertiliser, as stable litter, as a fuel, and for making charcoal. Partially carbonized vegetable matter saturated with water; can be used as a fuel when dried. A type of soil deriving from dead organic material situated in a wet area, where the reduced amount of [[oxygen available in the wet conditions results in the organic material not decomposing as much as it usually would do so in the presence of more oxygen. Used in growing media. Represents an important carbon sink –drainage of peat releases large amounts of carbon (CO2) to the atmosphere.

pedicel

The stalk of a single flower in an inflorescence or fruit (either in a cluster or existing singularly).

Pedicel of Weinmannia silvicola. Photographer: Tony Foster

peduncle

The stalk of a solitary flower or the main stalk of an inflorescence or flower cluster.

Peduncle of Lobelia angulata. Photographer: Tony Foster

pedunculate

Describing fruits, which are borne on a stalk (a peduncle).

pellucid

Transparent.

Transparent leaf spots of Myoporum laetum. Photographer: Tony Foster

peltate

Shield-like, with the stalk attached well inside the margin.

A peltate leaf base. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison
Peltate Drosera peltata. Photographer: Tony Foster
Peltate Drosera peltata. Photographer: Tony Foster

pendent

Hanging down from its support.

pendulous

Hanging or drooping.

penicillate

With a tuft of hairs at the end, like a brush.

perennial

A plant lasting for three seasons or more.

perianth

A collective term for the calyx (sepals or tepals) and corolla (petals) of the flower, especially when these are indistinguishable.

petal

Part of flower inside the sepals; usually coloured.

Petal of Carmichaelia williamsii. Photographer: Tony Foster

petiolate

Having a petiole.

petiole

Leaf stalk.

Leaf stalk (flattened) of Melicope simplex. Photographer: Tony Foster
Leaf stalk of Melicytus ramiflorus. Photographer: Tony Foster
Leaf stalk of Schefflera digitata. Photographer: Tony Foster

photopoint

A monitoring technique where repeat photos are taken of the same scene from the same point over a period of time in order to quantify changes.

pilose

Bearing long, soft hairs.

Pilose leaf surfaces of Nertera dichondrifolia. Photographer: Tony Foster

pinna

A segment of a divided lamina that is classified as primary, secondary or tertiary according to the degree of dissection of the lamina.

The pinna of mamaku (Cyathea medularis). Photographer: Tony Foster

pinnae

Divisions of a pinnate leaf.

pinnate

With leaflets arranged regularly in two rows on either side of a stalk as in a feather; the lamina on a fern is divided into separate pinnae.

A pinnately compound leaf. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison
A pinnate leaf. Photographer: Tony Foster

pioneer

Plant species are hardy species that should be planted first to establish a good canopy cover that restricts weed growth and promotes natural regeneration. In natural ecosystems these are the first plants to arrive and grow on a site.

pistil

The female reproductive organ of a flower, consisting of an ovary, style, and stigma.

pistillate

A flower with one or more pistils, but no stamens.

Pistillate flowers of Coprosma perpusilla subsp. perpusilla. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

plano-convex

Flat on one side, convex on the other.

plumose

Feathery.

Plumose Arthropodium cirrhatum. Photographer: Tony Foster

podzol

Infertile, acidic soil, strongly leached to form a whitish-grey subsoil underlain by a layer enriched in iron, aluminium and organic matter; usually under forest in a wet temperate climate.

pole

A subcanopy size individual with a long thin trunk and foliage tuft of a potential canopy tree.

pollinia

Compact masses of orchid pollen.

population enhancement

Increasing a population for a specific biological purpose, e.g., when a species is already present in an area but extra individuals are added to address a sex imbalance.

porrect

Extending forward.

Porrect lateral sepals of the orchid Pterostylis porrecta. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

procumbent

Lying and flat along the ground but not rooting.

Procumbent. Photographer: Tony Foster

propagate

To reproduce a plant by sexual (i.e., from seed) or asexual (e.g., from cuttings) means.

prostrate

A general term for lying flat along the ground. This includes procumbent (that is lying and flat along the ground but not rooting) and decumbent (with a prostrate or curved base and an erect or ascending tip).

Prostrate Melicytus crassifolius. Photographer: Jeremy Rolfe

provenance

The place of origin (of a plant that is in cultivation).

proximal

Toward the base or point of attachment (cf. distal).

pseudobulb

Thickened surface stem; usually looking like a bulb.

Pseudobulb of Ichthyostomum pygmaeum. Photographer: Tony Foster

pseudoterminal

Falsely terminal – as in a bud which appears to occupy a terminal position but does not.

pubescence

Covering of soft, fine hairs.

puberulent

Minutely clad in short, soft hairs.

pubescent

Covered in short, soft hairs.

Pubescent foliage of Metrosideros excelsa. Photographer: Tony Foster

pungent

Ending in a stiff sharp point.

Pungent leaf of Leptospermum scopraium. Photographer: Tony Foster

pustule

Small blister-like elevation.

Pustule on Entelia arborescens trunk. Photographer: Tony Foster

phloem

The vascular tissue in land plants that is primarily responsible for the distribution of sugars and nutrients manufactured in a shoot.

palmatifid

Deeply divided into several lobes arising from more or less the same level.

A palmatifid leaf. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison
A palmatifid leaf of Hibiscus diversifolius. Photographer: Tony Foster

palmatisect

Intermediate between palmate and palmatifid, i.e. the segments are not fully separated at the base; often more or less digitate.

A palmatisect leaf. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison
A palmatisect leaf of Hibiscus trionum. Photographer: Tony Foster

pinnatifid

Pinnately lobed, cleft more than halfway to the midrib. Not cleft all the way to the rachis.

A pinnatifid leaf tip. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison
Pinnatifid leaf of Schefflera digitata. Photographer: Tony Foster

pinnatisect

Pinnately divided almost to midrib but segments still confluent.

A pinnatisect leaf. Photographer: Illustration by Sue Wickison
A pinnatisect leaf of poroporo. Photographer: Tony Foster
A pinnatisect leaf of poroporo (Solanum aviculare). Photographer: Tony Foster

palea

1. The upper of the two bracts that enclose each floret in a grass spikelet. 2. A small bract at the base of a disc floret in some plants of the composite family. 3. Scales on various parts of ferns (referred to as paleate or paleaceous). From the Latin word for ‘chaff’.

paleae

Plural of palea, from the Latin word for ‘chaff’. 1. The upper of the two bracts that enclose each floret in a grass spikelet. 2. A small bract at the base of a disc floret in some plants of the composite family. 3. Scales on various parts of ferns (referred to as paleate or paleaceous).

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