Abbreviated Glossary - Flowers of Rainier
 
 

anther: the pollen-producing tip, or sack,of the male part of a flower at the end of a stalk called a filament

basal leaves: the leaves located at the stem base

beak: short tip at the top of a seed

bract: a leaf-like scale or structure that performs a different function from a leaf, often appearing more like a flower petal than a leaf

calyx: all the sepals combined

disk flowers: the small tubular flowers comprising the "button" in the center of the flowerheads of asters and sunflowers

glaucous: a whitish or silvery-gray waxy sheen, typically on leaves and stems

inflorescence: the term for the entire cluster of flowers including the blossoms and stems

leaflet: an ultimate unit of a compound leaf

ovary: the ovule (immature seed prior to fertilization) producing part of the female organ

palmate: like the palm of a hand, having leaflets arising from the same point like the fingers in a hand

pistil: the female organ of a flower comprising an ovary and stigma - the tip which receives the pollen

raceme: an elongated cluster of flowers with individual stalks, generally blooms from the bottom up (see spike)

ray flowers: flowers that form the outer circle around a center disk in asters and sunflowers

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rhizome: an underground horizontal stem unlike a root in that it may have nodes, buds or scale-like leaves

saprophytic: obtaining food and nutrients from dead or decaying matter

scree: slope or field of small rocks and fine particles

sepal: usually green parts beneath the petals, the protective layer around the bud

spike: an elongated cluster with flowers that are non-stalked (see raceme)

spur: a hollow appendage on a petal or sepal

stamen: the male organ of a flower consisting of a stalk-like filament and a pollen-producing anther sack

stigma: the expanded tip of the female organ which receives the pollen, on a short stalk called a style

style: slender stalk that elevates the stigma, the part of the female organ which receives pollen

sub-shrub: a plant with woody lower stems and non-woody upper stems and twigs that die back seasonally

tepal: a sepal or a petal, when the structure cannot be distinguished, alike in appearance

talus: a slope or field of rack fragments usually at the foot of a cliff, pieces seem like broken pottery

taproot: main root of a plant, one that grows straight down

umbel: flower stalks arising from a common point, like the stays on an umbrella