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Need Help?Plant Characteristics
A list of specialist words which might be used in field guides ... more.A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
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S
| Sagittate : | Of the base of a flat organ, shaped like an arrow-head; of a leaf blade, narrow with two basal lobes directed downwards. |
| Parent Term: | Leaf_base |
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| Salty : | - |
| Parent Term: | Taste |
| Samara : | - |
| Parent Term: | Fruit_type |
| Show examples » | |
| Sapling : | - |
| Parent Term: | Juvenile |
| Plural: | Saplings |
| Saprophyte : | A plant (usually lacking chlorophyll) which nourishes wholly or mainly from soluble organic compounds in decaying organisms. |
| Parent Term: | Habit |
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| Savanna : | - |
| Parent Term: | Vegetation |
| Savanna-woodland : | - |
| Parent Term: | Vegetation |
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| Scabrid : | - |
| Parent Term: | Surface_texture |
| Synonyms: |
scabrous
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| Scabrid Scabrous : | - |
| Parent Term: | Surface_texture |
| Scalariform : | - |
| Parent Term: | Venation |
| Scale : | 1. On leaf, a scale is a tiny (< 1 mm) article lying flat on surface, disappearing with age, <1mm diameter. 2. A bark scale is a sm |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
| Plural: | Scales |
| Synonyms: |
Scaly
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| Difficulty Level: |
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| Show examples » | |
| SCALES : | - |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
| Scaly : | - |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
| Scarious : | Of thin, dry, membranous texture and not green; opposite of herbaceous. |
| Parent Term: | Surface_texture |
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| Scent : | General term for smell that is not unpleasant, as opposed to foetid. |
| Parent Term: | Smells |
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| Schizocarp : | A dry fruit formed from more than one carpel but breaking apart into single-seeded units (mericarps) when ripe. |
| Parent Term: | Dehiscent |
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| Scrambler : | - |
| Parent Term: | Habit |
| Scrambling shrub : | Applied to a plant sprawling over other plants, fences etc. and being supported by these, usually by being anchored with hooks or t |
| Parent Term: | Habit |
| Synonyms: |
Scrambler
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| Scurfy : | With fine flaky covering like rust or dandruff. |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
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| Secund : | One-sided, when parts or organs are all directed to the same side (applied especially to the grouping of flowers in an inflorescenc |
| Parent Term: | Inflorescence_type |
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| Seed : | (Part of fruit) derived from single fertilized ovule (ovule contains the 'egg'). |
| Parent Term: | Fruit_details |
| Child Terms: |
Cotyledon Endosperm Hilum |
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| Show examples » | |
| Seedling : | - |
| Parent Term: | Juvenile |
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| Semicraspedodromous : | With a single primary vein, the secondary veins branching just within the margin, one branch from each terminating at the margin and the other forming a marginal loop and joining the superadjacent secondary vein. |
| Parent Term: | Leaf_venation_(hickey) |
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| Sepal : | One of the lobes of the outer part of perianth, especially if leaf like; see calyx. |
| Parent Term: | Calyx |
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| Septicidal : | (Capsule) opening along the edges of the carpels. |
| Parent Term: | Dehiscent |
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| Sericeous : | Silky, with a covering of long, appressed, soft, straight and glossy hairs. |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
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| Serrate serrated : | - |
| Parent Term: | Leaf_blade_margin |
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| Serrated : | Saw toothed; usually with teeth arching forwards (but cut 1/16-1/8 distance to midrib or midvein) but in this guide a more general |
| Parent Term: | Leaf_blade_margin |
| Synonyms: |
Serrate
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| Child Terms: |
Bicrenate Bidentate Biserrate Denticulate Dissected Laciniate Crenate Crenulate Crispate Dentate Divided Doubly_dentate Doubly_derrate Erose Incised Lacerate Repand Serrulate Wavy Spiny_margin Teeth |
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| Serrated etc (not entire) : | - |
| Parent Term: | Leaf_blade_margin |
| Child Terms: |
Crenate |
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| Serrulate : | Minutely serrate, but cut to 1/16 distance to midrib or midvein. |
| Parent Term: | Serrated |
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| Sessile : | Without a stalk. |
| Parent Term: | Attachment |
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| Setose : | Beset with bristles or fairly sparse stiff hairs. |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
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| Shade-Bearer : | Plants that can tolerate the full canopy shade of taller trees: the lower layers of undisturbed forest are rich in them. |
| Parent Term: | Guilds |
| Plural: | Shade-Bearers |
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| Shade-Bearers : | - |
| Parent Term: | Guilds |
| Shape 3d : | - |
| Parent Term: | General_shape |
| Child Terms: |
Campanulate Canaliculate Complanate Compressed Discoid Fistulose Keel Obconical Ovoid Subulate Sulcate Torulose Turbinate Zygomorphic Shapes__3d Torulose___torose |
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| Shape (3d) : | - |
| Parent Term: | General_shape |
| Shapes 3d : | - |
| Parent Term: | Shape__3d |
| Child Terms: |
Claw Cochlear Cochleate Cordiform Ellipsoid Acicular Fusiform Globose Pyriform Rectangular Reniform Rounded Sigmoid Sinuate Sinuous Spathulate Keeled |
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| Sheath : | A tubular tissue, enveloping another organ; e.g. often prickly layer on rattan stems from base of leaf enclosing stem below juncti |
| Parent Term: | Node |
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| Shoot : | A young stem or branch. |
| Parent Term: | Stem |
| Child Terms: |
Shoot_details |
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| Shoot Details : | - |
| Parent Term: | Shoot |
| Shrub : | Small woody plant (rarely or not exceeding 5 cm d.b.h., or without bole). |
| Parent Term: | Habit |
| Child Terms: |
Shrublet |
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| Show examples » | |
| Shrublet : | - |
| Parent Term: | Shrub |
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| Sigmoid : | Bent like the letter S. |
| Parent Term: | Shapes__3d |
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| Siliqua : | A dry, dehiscent fruit characteristic of the family Brassicaceae, formed from a superior ovary of two carpels (with two parietal placentas) joined margin to margin, and divided into two loculi by a membranous wall (false septum) between the placentas. In |
| Parent Term: | Dehiscent |
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| Simple leaf : | - |
| Parent Term: | Leaf_types |
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| Sinewy : | (Bole) with many rounded, but irregular channels, like straining muscles. |
| Parent Term: | Bole |
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| Sinuate Sinuous : | Margins shallowly and smoothly indented, wavy in a horizontal plane, without distinctive teeth or lobes, indented 1/16-1/8 distance |
| Parent Term: | Shapes__3d |
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| Sinuous : | Deeply wavy (margin); highly curvaceous |
| Parent Term: | Shapes__3d |
| Synonyms: |
Sinuate
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| Sinus : | The gap or dip between teeth or lobes. |
| Parent Term: | Lobe |
| Slash : | Section through cut bark, showing various layers above sapwood, sometimes with exudate |
| Parent Term: | Bark |
| Child Terms: |
Latex Bark_exudate Slash_exudate Slash_texture |
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| Show examples » | |
| Slash Texture : | - |
| Parent Term: | Slash |
| Child Terms: |
Gritty |
| Smells : | - |
| Parent Term: | General_terms |
| Child Terms: |
Fragrant Foetid Pungent Putrid Scent |
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| Spadix : | A spike-like inflorescence with a thickened and often succulent axis. |
| Parent Term: | Inflorescence_part |
| Plural: | Spadices |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Show examples » | |
| Spathe : | A large bract surrounding an inflorescence. |
| Parent Term: | Inflorescence_part |
| Plural: | Spathes |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Spathulate : | (Drip tip) with round, broadened apex like a spoon. |
| Parent Term: | Shapes__3d |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Species level terms : | - |
| Child Terms: |
Ecology Taxonomy Genetics Usage |
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| Spiculate : | With crystals in or on the surface. |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
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| Spike : | Unbranched inflorescence; individual flowers without stalks (see raceme). |
| Parent Term: | Inflorescence_type |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Spine : | Sharp, (branched) needle-like projection from below bark; or ?Spiny margin? similarly needle like thickenings of leaf margin. |
| Parent Term: | Spines__prickles_etc |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Show examples » | |
| Spines prickles etc : | - |
| Parent Term: | Plant_parts |
| Child Terms: |
Spine Aculeate Inermous Prickle Thorn Unarmed Spiny Prickly Prickle |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Show examples » | |
| Spines thorns prickles on plant : | - |
| Parent Term: | Plant_parts |
| Spiny : | - |
| Parent Term: | Spines__prickles_etc |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Spiny margin : | - |
| Parent Term: | Serrated |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Spongy : | Cellular; sponge-like (in appearance or to touch). |
| Parent Term: | Bark_texture |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Squamose : | Having coarse scales. |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
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| Stamen : | The male reproductive organ of a flowering plant, producing pollen. |
| Parent Term: | Androecium |
| Child Terms: |
Anther Exserted_stamen Filament |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Staminode : | A sterile stamen, often rudimentary; sometimes modified to perform some other function, e.g. that of a petal or nectary. |
| Parent Term: | Androecium |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Stellate hair : | Star-shaped hair, or cluster of hairs radiating from a point. |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
| Plural: | Stellate hairs |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Show examples » | |
| Stem : | - |
| Parent Term: | Foliage |
| Plural: | Stems |
| Child Terms: |
Node Internode Nodding Pith Shoot Sucker Terete Twig Wing Stem_accessories Young_stem Branchlet Winged |
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| Stem Accessories : | - |
| Parent Term: | Stem |
| Sterile : | Barren, not functional; used of sexual parts, such as anthers; (sterile specimen= one without flowers). |
| Parent Term: | Gender |
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| Stigma : | Top part of style, to which pollen becomes attached, of various shapes. |
| Parent Term: | Gynoecium |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Show examples » | |
| Stilt Roots : | - |
| Parent Term: | Bole |
| Stinging : | With erect trichomes that irritate or sting when touched. |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Stipe : | General term for a stalk supporting a structure, esp. the stalk attaching the ovary or fruit to the receptacle in some flowers (i.e |
| Parent Term: | Attachment |
| Synonyms: |
Stalk
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| Difficulty Level: |
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| Stipel : | Thread-like structure at base of leaflet on some compound Ieaves. |
| Parent Term: | Leaf_parts |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Stipulate : | - |
| Parent Term: | Node |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Stipule : | Leaf-like or other small structure close to petiole at leaf node, often in opposite pairs, or as a complete sheath around stem. |
| Parent Term: | Node |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Stolon : | A lateral, aerial shoot with elongated internodes, rooting at the nodes and giving rise to new individuals when the internodes peri |
| Parent Term: | Bole |
| Synonyms: |
Stoloniferous
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| Difficulty Level: |
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| Stoloniferous : | Bearing stolons. |
| Parent Term: | Bole |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Stoma : | - |
| Parent Term: | Surface_details |
| Plural: | Stomata |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Stoma (plural=Stomata) : | - |
| Parent Term: | Surface_details |
| Stomata : | - |
| Parent Term: | Surface_details |
| Straggling : | Untidy, irregular, habit, partly trailing but striving to grow upwards. |
| Parent Term: | Habit |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Striate : | - |
| Parent Term: | Venation |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Strigose : | Covered with stiff hairs, which are slanting rather than erect, usually with a bulbous base. |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Style : | Narrow neck section of female part of flower (gynoecium) connecting ovary to stigma. |
| Parent Term: | Gynoecium |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Sub : | Not quite; almost e.g. sub-cordate= slightly cordate, and see following.. |
| Parent Term: | General_terms |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Sub Marginal : | (Nerve) running close to margin. |
| Parent Term: | Venation |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Sub-opposite : | Almost, but not always or not exactly opposite |
| Parent Term: | Leaf_arrangement |
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| Suberous : | Corky. |
| Parent Term: | Bark |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Subulate : | Awl-shaped; narrow and tapering evenly from a narrow base to a fine point. |
| Parent Term: | Shape__3d |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Succulent plant : | - |
| Parent Term: | Habit |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Sucker : | New shoot arising from ground at base of tree. |
| Parent Term: | Stem |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Suffrutescent : | - |
| Parent Term: | Habit |
| Suffrutex : | Woody basally, herbaceous apically. |
| Parent Term: | Habit |
| Synonyms: |
Suffrutescent
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| Difficulty Level: |
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| Show examples » | |
| Sulcate : | With longitudinal grooves. |
| Parent Term: | Shape__3d |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Superficial gland dots : | - |
| Parent Term: | Gland_dots |
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| Superior Ovary : | Ovary developing above the point of insertion of perianth; becoming fruit with calyx at base; the sepals, petals and stamens are in |
| Parent Term: | Ovary |
| Plural: | Superior Ovaries |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Surcurrent : | Extending along stem upward from leaf base. |
| Parent Term: | Angles |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Surface Details : | - |
| Parent Term: | Plant_parts |
| Swamp : | - |
| Parent Term: | Habitat |
| Swamp forest : | - |
| Parent Term: | Vegetation |
| Child Terms: |
Mangrove |
| Show examples » | |
| Sweet : | - |
| Parent Term: | Taste |
| Swollen spots at base of hairs : | - |
| Parent Term: | Hairs |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Syconium (fig) : | - |
| Parent Term: | Fruit_type |
| Show examples » | |
| Symmetric : | Regular, with one half equal in size and shape (but usually mirrored) to the other. |
| Parent Term: | Leaf_blade_shape |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Symmetry : | - |
| Parent Term: | Flower |
| Child Terms: |
Actinomorphic |
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| Sympodial : | Without a single, persistent growing point (the longitudinal growth is taken over by a lateral growing point below the apex). |
| Parent Term: | Branching_pattern |
| Difficulty Level: |
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| Syntype : | One of two or more specimens cited by the author at the time of publication of a name to which no holotype was designated. |
| Parent Term: | Type_specimen |
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