Botanical Nerd Word: Prickle
Prickle: A small, sharp outgrowth of the epidermis or bark.* A prickle is a distinct botanical structure, different from a spine or a thorn. Despite…
Author Archives: Weston Family Library
Botanical Nerd Word: Burl
Burl: Woody knot in the trunk, branches, or roots of a tree, caused by something that has damaged the tree (infection, disease, or injury), prized…
Botanical Nerd Word: Quiescent
Quiescent: In a state or condition of quietness; motionless; inactive; dormant.* Seeds in storage are said to be quiescent. They are purposely kept dry and cool…
Botanical Nerd Word: Monopodial
Monopodial: Having a single axis of growth with lateral branching occurring on either side of the main axis, most commonly used to describe the growth of…
Botanical Nerd Word: Carina
Carina: A keel or ridge.* These paperwhites (Narcissus papyraceus) have keeled flower stalks with a prominent ridge running the length of each side. Paperwhites are commonly forced…
Botanical Nerd Word: Fusiform
Fusiform: Three-dimensionally shaped like a spindle, widest at the middle and tapering to a point at both ends.* The winter buds of beech trees (Fagus) have…
Botanical Nerd Word: Procumbent
Procumbent: Growing along the ground without rooting at the nodes.* This cultivar of Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris ‘Albyn Prostrata’, has a procumbent growth habit. In…
Botanical Nerd Word: Acicular
Acicular: Needle-shaped.* Many conifers have acicular leaves. *Rushforth, K. (1987). Conifers. New York: Facts on File.
Botanical Nerd Word: Contorted
Contorted: Twisted or bent.* Pinus strobus ‘Contorta’ is a cultivar of eastern white pine growing in our Nature’s Garden. According to Missouri Botanical Garden’s Plant…
Botanical Nerd Word: Apical Dominance
Apical Dominance: A condition in plants where the stem apex prevents the development of lateral branches near the apex. It is controlled by auxins produced at…