monocyclic or uniseriate –
General Terminology
COLOR
 Color – is a measure of wavelengths of
light reflected from or transmitted
through an object.
 Very precise way of utilizing
components of hue, value, and
chroma
 When designating a color, the part
should be precisely designated.
 Ex. “Flowers yellow”, “Ovary green”
 Color Pattern – is a measure of the
distribution of colors on an object
> COMMON COLOR PATTERN
 Maculate – spotted, with small spots on
a more or less uniform background
 Pellucid – having a translucent spots or
patches
 Variegated – with two or more colors
occurring in various irregular patterns,
generally used for leaves
SIZE
 Size – refers to linear measurements, as
in “leaf length” or “corolla width”
 Metric units should be used
throughout
NUMBER
 Number – refers to a simple count of
parts
 With whorled structures, a
distinction should be made
between cycly and merosity
 Cycly – number of cycles or whorl of
parts.
 May simple be designated as
numbers or terms such as

with a single whorl of parts
 dicyclic or biseriate – with two
whorls of parts
 tricyclic or triseriate – with
three whorls of parts
 most commonly used for parts of
the perianth or androecium
 Merosity – number of parts per whorl
or cycle
 may also be designated as a simple
number or terms such as:
 bimerous – a whorl with two
members
 trimerous – whorl with three
members
 tetramerous – four
 pentamerous – five
 Two general merosity terms are:
 Isomerous – having the same
number of members in
different whorls
 Anisomerous – having a
different number of members
in different whorls
 Additional terms:
 Polymerous – having a larger
than the typical number of
parts
 Oligomerous – having a fewer
than typical number of parts
 most commonly designated for
floral parts
TEXTURE
 Texture – is the internal structural
consistency of an object
 Some texture terms also take color
into account
 Often described for leaves
 May be correlated with plant
habitat
N. A.
  Common terms:
 Cartilaginous – with the
texture of cartilage; hard and
tough but flexible; usually
whitish
 Chartaceous – opaque and of
the texture of writing paper
 Coriaceous – thick and
leathery, but somewhat
flexible
 Herbaceous – having a soft or
slightly succulent texture
 Indurate – hardened and
inflexible
 Membranous – thin and
somewhat translucent,
membranelike
 Mesophytic – having an
intermediate texture between
coriaceous and membranous
 Ruminate – unevenly textured,
coarsely wrinkled, looking as if
chewed
 Scarious – thin and appearing
dry, usually whitish or
brownish
 Succulent (baccate or
carmose) – fleshy and juicy
 Woody – having a hard,
woodlike structure
FUSION
 Fusion – refers to the apparent joining
or lack or joining of two or more
discrete plant organs or parts
 Entities that are “fused” may have
developed separately and then
come into contact and joined later
 Postnatal or Postgenital fusion –
may happen when organs fuse after
being separately formed
 Congenital fusion – organs or plants
parts that appear fused that
actually developed from a common
meristem
 Terms that are distinguished as to
whether fusion is between like and
unlike parts:
 Connate – integral fusion of
like parts, such that parts are
not easily separable.
˃ “stamens are connate” –
fused to one another
(monodelphous,
diadelphous,
syngenesious, etc.)
 Adnate – similar integral fusion
of unlike parts
˃ “stamens adnate” – fused
to something else (ex.to
the corolla)
 Two similar terms to represent
partial or incomplete fusion:
 Coherent – like parts joined
but only superficially and easily
separable
 Adherent – unlike parts joined
but only superficially and easily
separable
 Some terms designate lack of fusion
 Distinct – like parts unfused
and separate
 Free – unlike parts unfused and
separate
 Contiguous – parts touching
but not connate, adnate,
coherent, or adherent; may
appear fused, but are only in
close contact
SHAPE
 Shape – may be used for stems leaves,
leaflets or other leaf parts, bracts,
sepals, petals, stamens, pistils,
trichomes, or other plant parts
 An important feature in plant
description and identification
N. A.
  May be classified as:
 Solid – three dimensional
 Plane – two-dimensional
˃ May be divided into:
> SHAPE: PLANE (TWO-DIMENSIONAL)
o Overall plane shape
o Base
o Margin
o Apex shape
o Apical process
o Division
> SHAPE: SOLID (THREE-DIMENSIONAL)
 Capitate – a head-shaped, spherical
with a short basal stalk
 Globose – spherical
 Hemispheric – half-sphere-shaped
 Prolate – ellipsoid shape with the long
axis parallel to point of attachment
 Oblate – one extended
perpendicular to the point of
attachment
 Clavate – club-shaped, cylindrical with a
gradually, thickened and rounded end.
 Discoid – disk-shaped
 Fusiform – spindle-shaped, narrowly
ellipsoid with attenuate ends
 Cymbiform – shaped like a boat, as the
glumes of many grasses
 Filiform – means threadlike or
filamentous, being long, thin, and
typically flexous
 Fistulose or Fistular – means cylindrical
and hollow within
 Lenticular – means lens-shaped, disk-
shaped with two convex sides
 Ligulate – is tongue-shaped; flattened
and somewhat oblong in shape
 Pilate – means with a long, cylindrical
stalk terminating in a globose or
ellipsoid apical thickening, as in pilate-
glandular trichomes
 Terete – general plant term meaning
cylindrical
 Turbinate – means turban or top-
shaped, as in turbinate heads or
compound receptacles
 Are based, on the ratio of the length
to the width of the shape of the
outline
- Shapes in which the margins (sides) of
the object are straight and
approximately parallel are:
 Acicular – which are needle-like with
length:width ratio greater than 12:1
 Ensiform – sword-shaped, with
length:width ratio greater than 12:1
 Strap-shaped – flat, no needle-like
but with length:width ratio greater
than 12:1
 Linear – length:width ratio between
12:1 and 6:1
 Narrowly oblong – length:width ratio
between 6:1 and 3:1
 Oblong – length:width ratio between
2:1 and 3:2
- Shapes in which the margins are
symmetrically curved, with the widest
point near the midpoint of the object
are:
 Narrowly elliptic – length:width ratio
between 6:1 and 3:1
 Elliptic – length:width ration between
2:1 and 3:2
 Widely elliptic – length:width ration
approx. 6:5
 Orbicular (circular) – length:width
ratio approx. 1:1
- Shapes in which margins are curved
with the widest point near the base:
 Lanceolate – l:w ratio bet 6:1 and 3:1
 Lance-ovate – also termed “widely
lanceolate” or “narrowly ovate”; l:w
ratio 3:1 and 2:1
N. A.
  Ovate – l:w ratio bet 2:1 and 3:2
 Widely ovate – l:w ratio approx. 6:5
 Very widely ovate – l:w ratio close to
1 
- Shapes in which the margins are curved,
with the widest point near the apex are:
 Oblanceolate – l:w ratio bet 6:1 and
3:1
 Oblance-ovate – l:w ratio bet 3:1 and
2:1
 Obovate – l:w ratio between 2:1 and
3:2
 Widely obovate – l:w ratio approx.
6:5
 Very widely obovate – l:w ratio close
to 1
- Three-sided shapes, in which sides are
approx. straight are:
 Narrowly triangular – l:w ratio bet
6:1 and 3:1
 Triangular – l:w bet 2:1 and 3:2
 Widely triangular – l:w approx. 6:5
 Deltate – l:w approx. 1
- Four-sided, parallelogram-like shapes
are
 Rhombic – widest near middle l:w 2:1
and 3:2
 Trullate – widest near the base; l:w
2:1 and 3:2
- Specialized shapes
 Cordate (cordiform) – shaped like an
inverted Valentine heart, approx.
ovate with a cordate base
 Falcate (falciform) – scimitar-shaped,
lanceolate to linear and curved to
one side
 Lyrate – pinnatifid, but with a large
terminal lobe and smaller basal and
lateral lobes
 Pandurate – violin-shape, obovate
with the middle margin regions
concave
Reniform – kidney-shaped, wider
than lone with a rounded apex and
reniform base
 Spatulate – oblong, obovate, or
oblanceolate with a long attenuate
base
 Subulate – awl-shaped, approx.
narrowly oblong to narrowly
triangular
BASE
- Base – in which the sides are incurved
or approx. straight are:
 Attenuate – basal margins abruptly
incurved (concave), intersection
angle less than 45
 Narrowly cuneate – basal margins
approx. straight, intersection angle
less then 450
 Cuneate – basal margins approx.
straight, intersection angle 45-900
 Obtuse – basal margins approx.
straight, intersection angle greater
then 900
 Truncate – basal margin cut straight
across, intersection angle approx.
1800
- Base shapes in which the sides are
curved outward are:
 Rounded – basal margins convex,
forming a single, smooth arc
 Cordate – with two rounded, basal
lobes intersecting at sharp angle, the
margins above lobes smoothly
rounded
 Reniform – with two rounded, basal
lobes, smoothly concave at
intersection of lobes
- Bases in which there are two protruding
lobes are:
N. A.
 
Auriculate – with two rounded, basal
lobes, the margins above lobes
concave
 Hastate – with two basal lobes more
or less pointed or oriented outwardly,
approx. 900 relative to central axis
 Sagittate – with two basal lobes,
more or less pointed or oriented
downward, away from the apex
- Some other specialized base shapes are:
 Oblique – having an asymmetrical
shape
 Palpate – with the petiole attached
away from the margin, on the
underside of the table
 Sheathing – having a basal, clasping
leaf sheath
APEX
- Apex shape – shape of the apical region
below the apical process or vein
extension, if present
 Acuminate – is one with the apical
margins abruptly incurved (concave),
the apical intersection angle <450
- two other apex shapes are specialized
variants of acuminate:
 caudate – abruptly acuminate into a
long, narrowly triangular (tail-like)
apical region
 cuspidate – abruptly acuminate into
a triangular, stiff or sharp apex
- four apex shapes have straight, not
curved, sides:
 narrowly acute – one with margins
approx. straight, the intersection
angle less than 450
 acute – has more or less straight
margins, with the intersection angle
between 450-900
 obtuse – apical margins approx.
straight, intersection greater than 900

truncate – has apical margin cut
straight across, the angle approx.
1800
 rounded- has convex apical margins,
forming a single, smooth arc
 oblique – has an asymmetrical shape
- two terms that describe apical cleft
 emarginate – has an incision cut 1/16
– 1/8 of the distance midrib, midvein
or junction of primary veins
 retuse - incision cut up to 1/16 of the
distance to midrib, midvein or
junction of primary veins
- Apical process – generally denotes an
extension of a vein (typically midvein);
most apical process is vascular tissue
- Common apical process
 Apiculate – with a flexible apical
process, l:w ratio >3:1, usually slightly
curled
 Aristate – with a stiff apical process,
l:w ratio >3:1, usually prolonged and
straight
 Cirrhose - with a flexible, greatly
curled apical process
 Mucronate - with a stiff, straight
apical process, the length:width ratio
1:1–3:1
 Mucronulate - with a stiff, straight
apical process, length:width ratio ≤
1:1
 spinose or pungent - with a sharp,
stiff, spinelike apical process
- Shape combinations - overall shape,
base shape, and apex shape can be
used in combination to describe a
variety of two-dimensional forms
- Margins - refers to the sides of an
object, usually a leaf, bract, sepal, or
petal; Many margin terms describe the
presence and morphology of teeth,
small sharp-pointed or rounded
projections or lobes along the sides
 Entire – margin without teeth
N. A.
- A margin with teeth can be generally
termed “toothed,” but more specific
terms are preferable.
- Margin terms describing sawlike teeth,
i.e., sharp-pointed and ascending
 Serrate - teeth cut 1/16– 1/8 of the
distance to midrib, midvein, or
junction of primary veins
 Serrulate - diminutive of serrate,
teeth cut to 1/16 of the distance to
midrib, midvein, or junction of
primary veins
 doubly serrate- with large, serrate
teeth having along the margin
smaller, serrate teeth
- Margin terms describing sharklike teeth
that point outward at right angles to
the margin outline
 Dentate - with teeth cut 1/16 – 1/8
of the distance to midrib, midvein, or
junction of primary veins
 Denticulate - diminutive of dentate,
cut to 1/16 of the distance to midrib,
midvein, or junction of primary veins
- Margin terms describing rounded to
obtuse teeth, that point outward at
right angles or shallowly ascend
 Crenate - with teeth cut 1/16 – 1/8
of the distance to midrib, midvein,
or junction of primary veins
 Crenulate - diminutive of crenate,
teeth cut to 1/16 of the distance to
midrib, midvein, or junction of
primary veins.
- The relative size and density of teeth
may also be described, with terms such
as:
 Coarsely - to describe large and
uneven teeth (e.g., “coarsely
crenate”)
 Finely - to describe relatively small,
evenly spaced teeth (e.g., “finely
denticulate”)
 Sparsely- to describe teeth that are
few in number or spaced well apart
(e.g., “sparsely serrate”).
- Margins with teeth bearing sharp, stiff,
spinelike processes are termed spinose.
 Praemorse - describes a margin
having a jagged, chewed appearance,
as in some palms
- Terms describing margins with
trichomes are
 Ciliate - with trichomes protruding
from margins
 Ciliolate - with minute trichomes
protruding from margins, minutely
ciliate.
 Eciliate - describes a margin without
trichomes, regardless of presence or
absence of teeth.
 Filiferous - refers to margins bearing
coarse, fiberlike structures (e.g.,
fibrovascular bundles, as in the leaf
margins of some Yucca species).
- Terms that are often treated as features
of margin, but treated here as
“longitudinal posture,” are
 Involute- with margins rolled upward,
 Revolute- with margins rolled under
DIVISION
- Division - is a shape character referring
to the presence and characteristics of
sinuses (incisions), the sinuses defining
lobes or segments.
- Division character states are sometimes
treated as features of “margin.”
- Four division terms that precisely
denote the degree of division are:
 Lobed - sinuses extending 1/8 to 1/4
of the distance to the midrib, midvein,
or vein junction;
 Cleft - sinuses extending 1/4 to 1/2 of
the distance to the midrib, midvein, or
vein junction;
 Parted - sinuses extending 1/2 to 3/4
of the distance to the midrib, midvein,
or vein junction;
N. A.
  Divided - sinuses extending 3/4 to
almost to the midrib, midvein, or vein
junction.
- Lobed, cleft, parted, and divided should
be prefaced by terms that denote
further the type of division:
 pinnately (e.g., “pinnately lobed” or
“pinnately cleft”) to specify a division
along a central axis (typically the
midvein),
 palmately (e.g., “palmately divided”)
to specify a division relative to a point
(typically the basal junction of major
veins).
- Some useful, general terms that indicate
the general form, but not the extent, of
division are
 Pinnatifid - pinnately lobed to divided;
 Pinnatisect - pinnately divided, almost
into discrete leaflets but confluent at
the midrib;
 Bipinnatifid - bipinnately lobed to
divided; palmatifid, palmately lobed
to divided;
 Palmatisect - palmately divided,
almost into discrete leaflets but
confluent at the lobe bases.
 Decompound - denotes deeply
divided into numerous segments such
that leaflets are not clearly defined.
 Pedate - refers to a palmately divided
leaf in which the lateral lobes are
further divided, as in some ferns.
- Some division terms refer specifically to
the shape of the sinuses and lobes.
 Dissected - means divided into very
fine, often indistinct segments.
 Bifid - means 2-lobed to 2-divided,
especially at the apex.
 Incised - means the sinuses are sharp
and deeply cut, usually jaggedly.
 Sinuate - in contrast, refers to sinuses
being shallow and smooth, wavy in a
horizontal plane
 Lacerate - refers to sinuses that are
irregularly cut, the lobes appearing
torn.
 Laciniate - denotes lobes that are cut
into narrow, ribbonlike segments.
 Pectinate - means comblike, being
pinnately divided with close, very
narrow lobes.
DISPOSITION
- Disposition - refers to the relative
placement of objects
- Disposition is logically broken down into
 Position
 Arrangement
 Orientation
 Posture
POSITION
- Position - is the placement of parts
relative to other, unlike parts
- Some general position terms, which may
apply to leaves, bracts, and flower parts,
have to do with development.
 Adaxial (also known as ventral) -
corresponds to the upper or inner
surface of an organ - means toward
the axis – (early development) of the
primordia -- the surface that is initially
facing toward or nearest the axis will
typically become the uppersurface.
Confusion - arises when the organ in
question bends downward or twists
later in development
 Abaxial (also known as dorsal) -
corresponds to the lower or outer
surface of an organ

- With respect to a horizontally oriented
structure
N. A.
  Posterior - refers to the upper lobe or
part
 Anterior - refers to the lower lobe or
part.
 Basal or radical - indicates at or near
the bottom or base of a structure.
 Proximal - is similar to basal or radical
and means near the point of origin or
attachment, as in the point of
attachment of a leaf.
 Apical or terminal – means at or near
the top, tip, or end of a structure.
 Distal - is similar to apical or terminal
and means away from the point of
origin or attachment
- Some other general position terms are
 lateral or axillary - on the side of a
structure or at the axil
 central - at or near the middle or
middle plane of a structure
 circumferential - at or near the
circumference of a rounded structure.
- Some position terms are used primarily
to describe the position of structures
relative to the stem.
 radical or basal - mean positioned at
the base of the stem
 cauline - means positioned along the
length of the stem
 acrocaulis – means positioned at the
apex of the stem
ARRANGEMENT
- Arrangement - is the placement of parts
with respect to
- Some arrangement terms, used
primarily for leaves, bracts, or flower
parts, describe the number of organs
per node.
 Alternate - refers to one leaf or other
structure per node. - Subcategories of
alternate are
˃ Monistichous - alternate with
points of attachment in one,
vertical row/rank
˃ Distichous - alternate, with points
of attachment in two vertical
rows/ranks
˃ Tristichous - alternate, with points
of attachment in three rows/ranks,
˃ Spiral (also termed polystichous) -
alternate, with points of
attachment in more than three
rows/ranks.
˃ Opposite - describes two leaves or
other structures per node - Two
subcategories of opposite are:
 Decussate - opposite leaves or
other structures at right
angles to preceding pair
 Nondecussate - opposite
leaves or other structures not
at right angles to preceding
pair. - Nondecussate leaves
may be superficially the result
of stem twisting.
 Subopposite - refers to two
leaves or other structures on
opposite sides of the stem or
central axis but at different
nodes slightly displaced
relative to one another.
 Whorled or verticillate -
means having three or more
leaves or other structures per
node.
- More arrangement terms denote more
specialized conditions.
 Equitant - refers to leaves with
overlapping bases, usually sharply
folded along the midrib.
 Fasciculate - refers to leaves or other
structures in a fascicle or short shoot,
a cluster with short internodes.
N. A.
  Imbricate - is a general term for
leavesor other structures overlapping.
 Valvate - means the sides are
enrolled, so that the margins touch.
 Rosulate - means in a rosette, an
arrangement in which parts (usually
leaves) radiate from a central point at
ground level
 Secund or unilateral – refers generally
to flowers, inflorescences, or other
structures on one side of the axis,
often due to twisting of stalks.
ORIENTATION
- Orientation - denotes the angle of a
structure relative to a central (often
vertical) axis
- These terms are (from top to bottom):
POSTURE
 Appressed - pressed closely to axis
upward, with divergence angle of 0 –
15° from upper axis
 Ascending - directed upward, with
divergence angle of 15°– 45° from
upper axis
 Inclined - directed upward, with
divergence angle of 15°– 45° from
horizontal axis
 Divergent - or horizontal, more or less
horizontally spreading with
divergence angle of ≤15° up or down
from the horizontal axis (also termed
divaricate or patent)
 Reclined or reclinate - directed
downward, with divergence angle of
15°– 45° from horizontal axis
 Descending - directed downward,
with divergence angle of 15°– 45°
from lower axis
 Depressed - pressed closely to axis
downward, with divergence angle of 0
–15° from lower axis.
- Other orientation terms are more
general.
 Antrorse – means bent or directed
upward, usually referring to small
appendages
 Retrorse - means bent or directed
downward
 Connivent - means convergent
apically without fusion, as in anthers
that come together in a flower
 Erect - is pointing upward (usually
without reference to an axis)
 Pendant or pendulous - means
hanging downward loosely or freely.
 Deflexed - means bent abruptly
downward
 Reflexed - means bent or turned
downward.
- Posture - refers to the placement
relative to a flat plane.
- It may be further classified as
 Transverse
 Longitudinal
 Twisting/ bending posture, or
ptyxis/vernation
 Transverse - is the placement of the
tip (distal end) of an object with
respect to a starting plane.
˃ Recurved - tip gradually curved
outward or downward (abaxially)
˃ Cernuous - tip drooping downward
(abaxially)
˃ Squarrose - sharply curved
downward or outward (abaxially)
near the apex
˃ Incurved - tip gradually curved
inward or upward (adaxially)
˃ plane or straight - flat, without
vertical curves or bends
˃ flexuous - the central axis and tip
curved up and down.
N. A.
  Longitudinal posture - is the
placement of the margins of an object
with respect to a starting plane
- Common longitudinal posture terms are:
˃ Conduplicate - ongitudinally folded
at central axis, with adjacent
adaxial sides facing one another
˃ Revolute - with margins or outer
portion of sides rolled outward or
downward over the abaxial surface
˃ Involute - with margins or outer
portion of sides rolled inward or
upward over adaxial surface
˃ cup-shaped - concave-convex
along entire surface (may be
abaxially or adaxially concave)
˃ plicate - pleated, with a series of
longitudinal folds
 subcategories of are:
 induplicate - plicate with
adjacent adaxial sides facing
one another, V-shaped in
cross-section
 reduplicate – plicate with
adjacent abaxial sides facing
one another, Λ-shaped in
cross-section)
 undulate or repand - the
margins wavy in a vertical
plane
 Twisting/bending posture - refers to
the posture of a twisting or bending
object relative to a starting plane.
 Resupinate - means inverted or
twisted 180° during development
early in development
 Geniculate - is having a “zig-zag”
posture, as in the inflorescence rachis
of some grasses
 Twining - is twisted around a central
axis, as in many vines. The stems of
twining vines may be
˃ dextrorse, twining helically like a
typical, right-handed screw
˃ sinistrorse, twining helically like a
left-handed screw
 Ptyxis, also termed vernation - refers
to the posture of embryonic
structures, such as cotyledons within
a seed or immature leaves or leaf
parts.
- Some specialized ptyxis terms include
 Circinate - with the leaf and leaf parts
coiled from apex to base, as in young
fern and cycad leaves
 Supervolute - with one half of a simple
leaf coiled tightly around the midrib,
the other half coiled
SURFACE
- Surface features can be broken down
into three characters:
 configuration, epidermal excrescence,
and vestiture.
CONFIGURATION
- Configuration - refers to the gross
surface patterns of the epidermal cells
other than that caused by venation or
excrescences (below).
- Configuration terms include:
 Canaliculate - longitudinally grooved,
usually in relation to petioles or
midribs
 Fenestrate - having windowlike holes
in the surface
 Punctate - covered with minute,
pitlike depressions; rugose or bullate,
covered with coarse reticulate lines,
usually with raised blisterlike areas
between
 Ruminate - unevenly textured,
coarsely wrinkled, looking as if
chewed (also used for texture)
 Smooth - or plane, with a smooth
configuration
 Striate - with fine longitudinal lines;
tessellate, with small, defined areas,
N. A.
 having a cobblestone or
checkerboard-like sculpturing
 Wrinkled - with irregular, fine lines or
deformations.
EPIDERMAL EXCRESCENCE
- Epidermal excrescence - refers to
surface patterns caused by secretions or
structural outgrowths of the epidermis,
otherthan trichomes or bristles
- Terms that denote epidermal secretions
are
 Glandular - covered with minute,
blackish to translucent glands
 Glaucous - covered with a smooth,
usually whitish, waxy coating (that can
be rubbed off with touch)
 Shining (nitid or laevigate)- appearing
lustrous or polished
 Viscid or glutinous - having a shiny,
sticky surface.
- Terms that denote epidermal
outgrowths
 Aculeate - or prickly, with prickles,
sharp nonspine, nonthorn
appendages
 Farinaceous (scurfy or granular) -
finely mealy, covered with small
granules
 Muricate - having coarse, radially
elongate, rounded protuberances
 Papillate, Tuberculate, or Scabrous -
having a rough surface, like that of
sandpaper

VESTITURE
- Vestiture - denotes trichome cover
 Trichomes - are surface hairlike
structures that may function by
protecting the plant from herbivory,
reflecting visible and UV light, and
inhibiting water transpiration.
- Glabrous - is the term meaning without
trichomes at all.
- Subglabrous - means nearly glabrous
- Glabrate - means the same or can mean
becoming glabrous with age by loss of
trichomes
- Bearded - means with a single tuft or
patch of trichomes arising from the
surface of an object, e.g., from a petal.
- Comose - is similar, but refers to an
apical tuft of trichomes, e.g., from a
seed.
- Penicillate - means tufted, like an artist’s
brush.
- Two terms that are also treated under
“margin” are
 Ciliate - with conspicuous marginal
trichomes
 Ciliolate - with tiny or small marginal
trichomes
- Pubescent - is a common vestiture type
meaning with more or less straight,
short, soft, somewhat scattered, slender
trichomes
- Puberulent - means minutely pubescent,
i.e., pubescent but with very short or
sparse (scattered) trichomes
- Canescent or incanous - white
trichomes.
- Tomentose - means covered with very
dense, interwoven trichomes.
- Tomentulose - is minutely tomentose,
i.e., tomentose but with very short
trichomes.
- Villous or lanate - means covered with
long, soft, crooked trichomes
- Pilose - means having soft, straight to
slightly shaggy trichomes, generally at
right angles to the surface
- Arachnose - or arachnoid means having
trichomes forming a dense, cobwebby
mass (but which resemble villous and
can be confused with that type).
- Scabrous - means having rough
trichomes, like that of sandpaper
N. A.
 - Scaberulous - means minutely scabrous.
- Hirsute - means having long, rather stiff
trichomes (but not quite skin-
penetrating)
- Hispid - means having very long, stiff
trichomes, often capable of penetrating
skin
- Urent - means having hispid trichomes
that are stinging, as in Urtica, stinging
nettle.
- Strigose - is covered with dense, coarse,
bent and mostly flat trichomes often
with a bulbous base.
- Strigulose - is minutely strigose, i.e., with
the same morphology but a much
smaller a silky appearance or sheen.
- Floccose - means having dense
trichomes that are in several patches or
tufts.
- Lepidote - means covered with scales or
scalelike structures (intergrading with an
epidermal excrescence character).
TRICHOME AND BRISTLE TYPE
- Trichome type - refers to the specific,
microscopic structure of individual
trichomes and may come under the
realm of plant anatomy and constitute a
systematically valuable character.
- Trichome type may assess the number
of cells per trichome
 Unicellular trichome consists of a
single cell and is usually quite small.
 Multicellular trichome contains two or
more cells. can be either
˃ Uniseriate – having a single vertical
row of cells
˃ Multiseriate- having more than one
vertical row of cells.
- Many trichomes are diagnosed based on
their general shape and morphology.
SYMMETRY
 Tapering trichomes - are those ending
in a sharp apex

Malpighian or two-armed trichomes -
are those with two arms arising from
a common base.
 Glandular trichomes - are secretory or
excretory trichomes, usually having an
apical glandular cell.
 Branched trichomes - include two
types:
˃ Stellate - which are star-shaped
trichomes having several arms
arising from a common base
(either stalked or sessile)
˃ Dendritic - which are treelike
trichomes with multiple lateral
branches
 Peltate trichomes - are those with a
disk-shaped apical portion atop a
peltately attached stalk.
- Trichomes may also be delimited based
on their position and function.
 intravaginal (or axillary) squamules -
trichomes found in the axils of
typically sheathing leaves, which may
function in secreting protective
mucilage
- Bristles - are similar to trichomes but are
generally much stouter (although
bristles and trichomes may intergrade).
- Major bristle types include
 Barbed or barbellate - with minute,
lateral, sharp appendages (barbs,
which may be antrorse or retrorse in
orientation) arising along the entire
bristle surface
 Plumose - featherlike, covered with
fine, elongate, ciliate appendages;
uncinate or hooked, with an apical
hooklike structure
 Glochidiate - with apical, clustered
barblike structures.
- Symmetry - is defined by the presence
and number of mirror-image planes of
symmetry.
N. A.
  Zygomorphic or bilateral symmetry
[monosymmetric, irregular] - is that in
which there is only one plane of
symmetry.
 Biradial symmetry [disymmetric] –
means having two (and only two)
planes of symmetry.
 Actinomorphic or radial symmetry
[polysymmetric, regular] - is that with
three or more planes of symmetry.
 Asymmetric - describes a structure
lacking any plane of symmetry
TEMPORAL PHENOMENA
- Temporal phenomena - deal with any
consideration specifically time-based.
- These are logically broken down into
 duration, maturation, and periodicity.
 Duration - refers to the length of life
of a plant or part of a plant. - annual,
biennial, and perennial.
˃ Annual - is a plant living 1 year or
less, typically living for one
growing season within the year.
Annual plants are herbs
˃ Biennials - are plants living 2 years
(or two seasons), usually flowering
in the second year. Biennial plants
typically form a basal rosette of
leaves during the first year and
“bolt” (grow an elongate
inflorescence stalk) in the second
year.
˃ Perennial - is a plant living more
than 2 years. Perennials include
herbs with rootstocks, shrubs,
lianas, and trees.
- Other duration terms describe plant
parts, e.g., of leaves (in which the term
leaf duration is used).
 Evergreen - means persistent two or
more growing seasons, as in the
leaves of most conifers.
 Deciduous - means parts persistent
for one growing season, then falling
off, as the leaves of Acer, maples.
 Cladoptosic - refers to dead foliage
falling with the accompanying shoot,
rather than as individual leaves
 Caducous or fugacious - refer to
dropping off very early (compared
with what is typical) and usually
applies to floral parts.
 Deliquescent – means becoming slimy
or mucilaginous, e.g., after death.
 Marcescent - means ephemeral but
with persistent remains, withering but
persistent such as corollas that
remain attached during fruit
formation.
 Accrescent - refers to plant parts that
persist and continue to grow beyond
what is normal or typical
 Monocarpic - refers to a plant that
flowers and fruits only once, then dies
- Maturation - refers to the relative time
of development of plant parts.
- Anthesis - refers to the time of
flowering, when flowers open with parts
available for pollination.
- Protandrous (meaning “male first”) -
refers to stamens or anthers developing
before the carpels or stigma.
- Protogynous (meaning “female first”) -
refers to the stigma or carpels maturing
before the stamens or anthers.
- Both protandry and protogyny are
general mechanisms to promote
outcrossing within a species
- Periodicity - refers to periodically
repeating phenomena.
- Terms that refer to the time of day are
 diurnal (during the day)
 nocturnal (at night)
 matutinal (in the morning)
 vespertine (in the evening).
N. A.
- These terms are usually used with
respect to when flowers of a given taxon
open.
- Other terms correspond to seasons,
such as
 vernal (appearing in spring)
 aestival (appearing in summer)
 autumnal (appearing in fall).

N. A.