Botanical Nerd Word: Entomophily
Entomophily: The transfer of pollen by insects.* These salvias are a favourite of pollinating bees. Pollock, M., Griffiths, M. (2005). Illustrated dictionary of gardening. London: Dorling Kindersley.
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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 …
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Botanical Nerd Word: Pseudanthium
Pseudanthium: 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 …
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Botanical Nerd Word: Pappus
Pappus: 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 …
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Botanical Nerd Word: Gall
Gall: 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 …
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Botanical Nerd Word: Cupule
Cupule: 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 …
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Botanical Nerd Word: Pterocaulous
Pterocaulous: 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 …
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Botanical Nerd Word: Twining
Twining: 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 …
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Botanical Nerd Word: Receptacle
Receptacle: 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 …
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Botanical Nerd Word: Hastate
Hastate: 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 …
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