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Plant Characteristics

A list of specialist words which might be used in field guides ... more.

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D

Deciduous : All leaves of plant falling in one season, mostly applying to certain tree species. (The term is less often used used for parts tha
Parent Term:Tree_crown
Difficulty Level:
 
Decurrent : Literally, ?running down or along?: a decurrent leaf base has the base of the lamina v. narrowly wedge-shaped, running along edge o
Parent Term:Leaf_base
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Decussate : Of opposite leaves, when the successive pairs are at right angles to each other.
Parent Term:Leaf_arrangement
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Dehiscent : (Dry fruits) splitting when ripe to release seeds (see indehiscent; capsule).
Parent Term:Fruit_type
Child Terms: Achene
Capsule
Schizocarp
Septicidal
Siliqua
Difficulty Level:
Show examples »
 
Dendroid : Tree-shaped, resembling a tree in form but not in size, e.g. dendroid hairs.
Parent Term:Hairs
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Dentate : With teeth, but strictly the teeth should be equal sided and pointing directly outwards (see serrate).
Parent Term:Serrated
Plural:Teeth
Synonyms: Tooth
Difficulty Level:
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Denticulate : Minutely dentate, with small triangular teeth (cut to 1/16 distance to midrib or midvein).
Parent Term:Serrated
Difficulty Level:
 
Descending : Arching gradually downwards.
Parent Term:Angles
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Dichasium : A cyme with two branches from each node.
Parent Term:Inflorescence_type
Plural:Dichasia
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Dichotomous : Branching by forking into two equal branches, as if splitting into half.
Parent Term:Branching_pattern
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Dicotyledon : A broad category of plant: those with two seedling Ivs; (all plants in this book apart from the monocots and ferns).
Parent Term:Plant_types
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Digitate : Compound leaf with more than three leaflets, all arising from one point at end of petiole (compare palmate).
Parent Term:Compound_leaf_types
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Digitately Lobed :   (Simple leaf) with lobes diverging like fingers on a hand
Parent Term:Lobe
Difficulty Level:
 
Dilatation tissue :   Tissue in bark marked by broad vertical bands associated with outgrowth of bark.
Parent Term:Bark
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Dioecious : Species with male and female flowers on different plants; i.e. with ? and ? plants.
Parent Term:Gender
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Disc : A fleshy, usually nectar-secreting ring between whorls of floral parts or on the ovary.
Parent Term:Flower_part
Plural:Discs
Synonyms: Disk
Difficulty Level:
 
Disc Disk :   -
Parent Term:Flower_part
 
Disc Floret :   -
Parent Term:Floret
Plural:Disc florets
Synonyms: Disc flower
Difficulty Level:
 
Disc Floret Disc flowers :   -
Parent Term:Floret
 
Discoid : Orbicular with convex faces.
Parent Term:Shape__3d
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Discolorous : Differently coloured (especially lower) side of leaf (compared to upper side).
Parent Term:Leaf_blade_colour
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Dissected : Leaves, stipules, petals etc. finely divided into narrow segments. Laciniate is an extreme case of fine dissection.
Parent Term:Serrated
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Distichous : Two-ranked; regularly arranged one above the other in two opposite rows, one on each side of the stem.
Parent Term:Leaf_arrangement
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Divergent : Of two or more like structures, spreading so that the apices are further apart then their bases.
Parent Term:Angles
Difficulty Level:
 
Divided : -
Parent Term:Serrated
 
Domatia : Tufts of hairs, small holes or other structures in axils of lateral nerves or finer veins.
Parent Term:Hairs
Plural:Domatias
Difficulty Level:
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Doubly Dentate :   Dentate with small teeth on the larger teeth; (also doubly serrate).
Parent Term:Serrated
Difficulty Level:
 
Doubly Serrate :   Serrated with small teeth on the large ones.
Parent Term:Serrated
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Downy : Covered with short, weak, soft trichomes, feeling like duck ?down?, or fine insulating feathers.
Parent Term:Hairs
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Drip Tip :   (With) tip of leaf abuptly long acuminate, the drip tip tip section itself typically <2mm wide and parallel sided for >5mm.
Parent Term:Apex_of_leaf_blade
Synonyms: Drip-tipped
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Drip-Tipped :   -
Parent Term:Apex_of_leaf_blade
 
Drupaceous : Plum-like, like a drupe, but technically not one, e.g. with stone(s) each containing more than 1 seed.
Parent Term:Indehiscent
Synonyms: Drupe-like
 
Drupe : Fruit with a fleshy part surrounding hard, central, 1-seeded 'stone(s)' (e.g. mango, plum). Normally 1-stoned (but sometimes a few)
Parent Term:Indehiscent
Plural:Drupes
Difficulty Level:
Show examples »
 
Drupe-like : Plum-like, like a drupe, but technically not one, e.g. with stone(s) each containing more than 1 seed.
Parent Term:Indehiscent
Difficulty Level: