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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 for use in woodworking.*   …

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 to prevent them from germinating. …

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 inflorescences but also to describe …

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 to bloom indoors in the …

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 a fusiform shape. *Pell, S.K., …

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 the wild, Scots pine grows …

Acicular: Needle-shaped.* Many conifers have acicular leaves. *Rushforth, K. (1987). Conifers. New York: Facts on File.

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 Finder, it was discovered growing …

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 the apical bud. Close to …

Viviparous: Offspring developing while still attached to the parent plant, as with seeds germinating in fruits still attached to the parent plant (e.g., mangroves, Avicennia, Rhizophora), or buds that form …