Botanical Glossary
On this page there is a little help in case you don't know any term or concept!
A
Fertilizer
Mineral or organic substance that is added to the soil or substrate to increase fertility or fortify some
biological process .
Allochthonous
That it does not grow naturally in a given territory. / Introduced.
Anthocyanins
Pigments responsible for the red, purple or blue coloration of different plant organs, mainly the flowers or foliage of some succulent plants.
Areola
Organ (axillary bud) highly specialized present in plants belonging to the cactus family. It is made up of a set of meristematic cells. The areola gives rise to spines, glochids, trichomes and flowers or inflorescences.
Indigenous
That belongs to a certain region or ecosystem / Native.
B
Button
Bud or new bud from which leaves, flowers and branches will grow. / Flowering bud still closed.
Bulb
Thick bud, usually underground, the leaves of which are loaded with reserve substances.
C
Cam
[Crassulacean acid metabolism]. Acronym used to refer to the metabolism of certain succulent plants, generally xerophytic, which present a special type of metabolism where their stomata open at night to avoid water loss, and photosynthesize during the day with the stomata closed.
Carotenoids
Pigments responsible for the red, orange, yellow and brown coloration. They have the ability to photosynthesize, although to a lesser extent than chlorophylls.
Cinereo
Latin epithet meaning "ash gray in color."
Chlorophyll
Green pigment that is present in the leaves and stems of many vegetables and that is responsible for the photosynthesis process; it is used in pharmacy and cosmetics.
Compost
Fertilizer composed of decomposed organic waste (household waste, herbs, animal waste, etc.), earth and lime.
Cotyledon
First leaf (alone or next to another). It is formed in the embryo of the spermatophyte plant, it is specially modified and in some cases it can accumulate reserve substances for the development of the plant when the seed germinates.
Crass
It is applied to plants that have succulent and fleshy stems or leaves, which have the capacity to store large amounts of water.
Cultivar
Abbreviation of " Culti vated Var iety" in English (cultivated variety). A type of plant that has been modified by human intervention in laboratories, specialized nurseries or nurseries , either by chance or on purpose.
D
Decumbent
Prostrate plant, which has the stems lying on the ground, but without taking root in it.
E
Endemic
Own and exclusive of certain localities or regions.
Underside
Lower face of the leaf, opposite the beam.
Epiphyte
That lives on another plant, without feeding on it, using it only as a support.
Species
Category or division established taking into account certain qualities, conditions or classification criteria.
Thorn
Hardened, sharp and stabbing organ that arises from the woody or vascular tissue of some plants.
Cutting
Stipule
Stem, branch or sapling of a plant that is grafted onto another or introduced into the ground to reproduce or multiply the plant.
Structure located at the base of the petiole of some leaves. its shape is usually laminar, but sometimes they exist as glands or spines
Stolon
Stem that grows parallel to the ground and that roots every certain section, it can be above the ground or underground.
Stoma
Microscopic opening of the epidermal tissue of higher plants, especially that of the leaves and green parts, through which the exchange of gases between the plant and the outside is verified.
F
Family
Taxonomic category composed of different genera. Plants are grouped into families based on their sexual organ: the flower and the fruit.
Foliar
Concerning or related to leaves.
G
Genus
Taxonomic category that falls between the family and the species. The genus ( genus in English) is a group that includes several related species,
Glauca
Light green (or bluish) in color.
Glabrous
Smooth, shiny, that does not have any hair or bristle.
Glochidium
Thorns that are born in the areolas of many Cactaceae. They resemble small cushions with sharp and short hairs.
H
Habit
Regarding the type of growth of a plant. basically, if the plant is a grass, shrub, creeper or tree; if the plant or any of its parts is annual, biennial or perennial; and what are its woody, succulent, or nutrient reservoir parts.
Halophilic
Plant that lives and develops in saline soils (where large amounts of salts are abundant ). It means: "Lover of salt"
Haz
Upper face of a plant leaf. It differs from the underside in that it generally does not have stomata, has a somewhat thicker cuticle, and has less abundance of trichomes.
Hybrid
A living organism derived from the genetic combination of different genera or species through sexual reproduction.
Hummus
Mulch or top layer of the soil, rich in organic waste that comes from the decomposition of beneficial organisms and microorganisms, such as fungi and bacteria. Pr oducido the raw material of plant decomposing waste (leaves, stems, wood, roots, etc.), and animal waste, specifically, excrements and manure microbial animal soil such as worms, and other like bacteria and soil fungi
Worm hummus
Product resulting from the digestive transformation in the form of excreta that this small annelid exerts on the organic matter it consumes.
I
Inflorescence
Set of flowers that are born grouped from the same stem
Graft
Fragment of a plant with buds that is attached to another to make it sprout
Invader
That develop outside their natural distribution area , in habitats that are not their own or with an unusual abundance, producing alterations in the richness and diversity of ecosystems.
J
K
L
Dormancy
State or particular condition of biological processes (growth, metabolism, etc.) suspended or reduced to a minimum. The plant and some parts of the plant such as the buds do not resume these processes if certain environmental conditions are not met, generally linked to temperature and solar radiation.
Latex
A whitish, milky, elastic substance present in some trees and plants such as euphorbias. It is obtained from the cuts made in the trunk of said plants. It coagulates on contact with air and constitutes gums, resins, etc. In addition, substances for industrial application are produced from latex, such as rubber, gums or gutta-percha.
Lignification
Phenomenon by which lignin is deposited in the cell membrane, which makes it increase in volume and rigidity, while preventing the cell from continuing to grow.
Lignin
Natural substance that is part of the cell wall of some plants, generates toughness and resistance to tissues.
The word lignin comes from the Latin term lignum , which means "firewood, wood". Plants that contain a large amount of this substance are called woody plants.
M
Meristem
Young or embryonic tissue of plants. It is found in the places of growth of the plant and is made up of cells that continually divide to create other tissues. It is a set of very little differentiated or specialized cells.
Monocarpic
That only blooms once in a lifetime. It usually blooms from the center of the rosette, sometimes deforming it.
N
Native
That it belongs to a certain region or ecosystem. / Native.
Nervadura
Set of nerves, especially those of a leaf or of an insect wing.
Nodule
Pequeña concreción o nudosidad que contiene bacterias fijadoras de nitrógeno.
Node
Punto de inserción de un órgano a un eje de una planta.
O
P
Petiole
Appendix of the leaf of a plant, by which it is attached to the stem.
Perlite
Volcanic glass amorphous that occurs naturally in nature. One of its many uses is to make substrates more permeable to air and maintaining its ability to retain water.
Hairy
Hairy / Relating to or related to hair.
Policárpico
Que florece más de una vez en la vida. Suele florecer mediante varas florales laterales.
Farina
Protective epicuticular wax for plant tissue. It has functions such as protection from solar radiation, waterproofing of water and prevents pests.
Pubescent
That has hair, hairy.
Purpurescent
Which tends to the color purple.
Q
R
Root
From the vegetable roots or related to them.
Branch
Branching action (Spread and divide into branches).
Crawler
Plant with stems that develop by traversing and spreading branches across the soil surface. Adventitious roots originate at nodes in contact with moist / crawling soil.
Crawling
Prostrate plant, which has a totally horizontal growth habit, with stems lying on the ground, whose nodes are usually radical. / Crawler.
Revoluto
Said of a leaf, which has curved edges on the underside.
Rosette
Set of leaves that are arranged closely together on the stem due to the shortness of the internodes, like the petals of a rose.
Rupicola
Type of plant whose reference habitat is stony places; like rocks, walls and rocks.
S
Succulence
Ability to store water. Which is thick, soft and juicy
Soil
Medium in which a plant develops.
T
Taxon
Systematic unit that designates a hierarchical level in the classification of living beings, such as species, genus, family, order and class
Trichome
Trichomes or plant hairs are appendages of the epidermis of plants. They fulfill functions of water absorption, temperature regulation, seed and fruit dispersal, protection against abrasive agents and perception of stimuli.
Turgency
Turgent quality (tight, swollen)
U
V
Variegated
Variegation or the scientific name for 'Variegata' is the appearance of differently colored areas on the leaves and sometimes on the stem of plants, which can be due to a number of causes.
Vermiculite
Mineral substance, from the mica family, which, under the action of heat, dehydrates and takes on a larger volume and an appearance similar to that of a mass of worms; it is used as an insulator and absorbent.
W
X
Xerophilous
[Type of plant species] That is adapted to live in dry (arid) places or environments, it usually presents modifications such as very long roots, water-storing parenchyma or small and green leaves throughout the year.
Y
Gemma
Organ of a plant from which branches, leaves and flowers develop. It usually forms in the axils of the leaves and at the end of the stems and is usually protected by a series of cataphils
Z
Tendril
Each of the long, thin and fickle organs that certain plants (especially climbing plants) have and that serve to hold onto stems or other nearby objects. They can be caulinar (vine) or foliaceous (pumpkin) in nature.
***
References
- Royal Spanish Academy. https://www.rae.es
- Definitions of Oxford Languages
- Institute of Oceanography and Nature. https://institutodeoceanografiaynaturaleza.wordpress.com
- Infojardín. https://www.infojardin.com/glossary