Botanical Nerd Word: Strobile
Strobile: A cone or an inflorescence resembling a cone, as in hops.* Hop hornbeam (Ostrya virginiana) gets its common name because it’s fruits look just…
Category Archives: Word of the Week
Botanical Nerd Word: Hebecarpous
Hebecarpous: With pubescent fruit.* The red, fuzzy fruits of sumac are hebecarpous. Another common example are kiwis. *Harris, J.G., Harris, M.W. (2001). Plant identification terminology:…
Botanical Nerd Word: Hexamerous
Hexamerous: With parts arranged in sets or multiples of six.* This spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) flower has six petals and six stamens. *Harris, J.G., Harris,…
Botanical Nerd Word: Denudate
Denudate: Stripped bare; denuded.* With the cold weather settling in, our deciduous trees have taken on their denudate winter appearance. *Harris, J.G., Harris, M.W. (2001)….
Botanical Nerd Word: Jugate
Jugate: Having parts in pairs.* For example, these pairs of leaflets. *Pell, S.K., Angell, B. (2016). A botanist’s vocabulary: 1300 terms explained and illustrated. Portland:…
Botanical Nerd Word: Hip
Hip: A berry-like structure composed of an enlarged hypanthium surrounding numerous achenes, as in roses.* Rose hips add a nice hint of fall colour and…
Botanical Nerd Word: Purpurascent
Purpurascent: Inclining to or tinged with purple; somewhat purple; turning purple.* For example, this monkshood, Aconitum ‘Cloudy’ has flowers tinged with purple. *Oxford English Dictionary.
Botanical Nerd Word: Aphyllous
Aphyllous: Without leaves.* This Pencil Cactus (Euphorbia tirucalli) does not produce leaves. It photosynthesises with its bare stems. *Harris, J.G., Harris, M.W. (2001). Plant identification…
Botanical Nerd Word: Decussate
Decussate: Arranged along the stem in pairs, with each pair at right angles to the pair above or below.* This Plectranthus shows a decussate leaf…
Botanical Nerd Word: Phytotelma
Phytotelma (plural: phytotelmata): A small, water-filled cavity in a tree or any similar environment, such as the axil of a bromeliad.* In nature, phytotelmata form important niche habitats for other…