Botanical Nerd Word: Pyxis
Pyxis: A circumscissile capsule, the top coming off as a lid.* Above is an image of a ripe Portulaca pyxis. Circumscissile means that the capsule splits horizontally in a line …
Botanical Nerd Word: Pyxis Read MorePyxis: A circumscissile capsule, the top coming off as a lid.* Above is an image of a ripe Portulaca pyxis. Circumscissile means that the capsule splits horizontally in a line …
Botanical Nerd Word: Pyxis Read MorePseudanthium: A compact inflorescence of many small flowers which simulates a single flower.* While sunflowers look like one massive flower at the top of the stalk, they are actually composed …
Botanical Nerd Word: Pseudanthium Read MorePappus: A modified calyx made up of a ring of fine hairs, scales, or teeth that persist after fertilization and aid the wind dispersal of the fruit, often by forming …
Botanical Nerd Word: Pappus Read MoreGall: An abnormal growth or swelling in a plant. The formation of a gall may be induced by infection of the plant with bacteria or fungi, or by attack from …
Botanical Nerd Word: Gall Read MoreCupule: A cup-like sheath surrounding or enclosing certain fruits, e.g. the acorn of Quercus (Oaks).* The acorns on this English oak (Quercus robur) are maturing. The ‘caps’ at the top …
Botanical Nerd Word: Cupule Read MorePterocaulous: With winged stems.* Euonymus alatus, also known as winged euonymus or burning bush, is a common garden shrub from Asia that has become invasive in North America. It has …
Botanical Nerd Word: Pterocaulous Read MoreTwining: Coiling or spiraling around a support (usually another stem) for climbing.* Many plants climb by twining. For example, dog-strangling vine. This one is twining up a railing in Wilket …
Botanical Nerd Word: Twining Read MoreReceptacle: In flowers and fruits, tissue to which all the floral whorls are attached.* A strawberry is not a berry at all. It is actually a swollen receptacle. Each of …
Botanical Nerd Word: Receptacle Read MoreHastate: Arrowhead-shaped with basal lobes pointing outward from the midvein.* Blue vervain (Verbena hastata), as the species name implies, has hastate leaves. The image above shows the plant flowering on …
Botanical Nerd Word: Hastate Read MoreSarmentose: Having long, thin runners (stolons).* Strawberries produce long runners, with new plantlets rooting along the ground. The image on the right shows the long runners producing plantlets. See also …
Botanical Nerd Word: Sarmentose Read More