Wild plants / Glossary
Leaf shapes
For the Wild Flowers Provence site we have used just 24 terms for leaf shapes, and have drawn an icon for each leaf shape to help identification. In reality there are of course a huge range of leaf shapes, and every variant in between, not just 24. The wide range means there are inevitably some differences in the use of terminology in different publications.
On the index page you can touch or hover on the 24 leaf shape icons to see the botanical term used to describe that leaf shape.
Within the plant descriptions on the individual plant pages, the leaf description starts with the botanical term with a dotted underline. Touch or hover over the word to see the icon and explanation.
Other terms
Other botanical terms used on the site are explained below. Enter a term below in Search to find examples of plants with this feature.
(A fuller glossary of botanical terms is provided by Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_botanical_terms)
achene – a cluster of seeds not opening to release seed
anther – upper fertile part of the stamen containing the pollen
awn – a bristle-like projection as found in grasses
bracts – small leaf-like structure immediately below the flower
bulb – underground storage organ composed of layers of fleshy leaves e.g. Tulip
bulbils – small aerial bulb-like organ, breaking off to form a new plant e.g. Allium oleraceum
calyx – collective name for sepals
convex – outward curve
corm – a swollen underground organ formed from the stem base e.g. Crocus
corolla – collective name for petals
corymb – a compound inflorescence with the lower branches longer than the upper
crenelated – leaf margin with small rounded teeth
cyathia – a flower cluster as in Euphorbias e.g. Euphorbia characias
deciduous – with leaf fall in autumn
disk floret – the central compacted florets, disc-like, as in members of the Daisy family
filament – stalk of a stamen
follicle – dried compartments of ovary, solitary or clustered
fronds – leaves of a fern
gland – a small structure secreting oil or other liquid
inflorescence – a group or cluster of flowers at the end of a stalk
labellum – distinctive lower petal or lip of a flower, the landing platform for visiting insects e.g. Orchids
latex – milky fluid in plant stems
leaf axil – point from which buds and shoots develop
ligule – a thin outgrowth at the junction of leaf and leafstalk e.g. Grasses
node – positions on the stem where the leaves arise
ovary – female productive organ
panicle – a branched inflorescence with individual stalked flowers
pappus – tufts of hairs forming the seed head
pedicel – stalk of a flower
pistil – ovary, style and stigma of the female flower
raceme – spike-like flowering stem with individual stalked flowers
rhizome – a horizontal underground stem e.g. Iris
sepal – part of the outer ring of the flower, below the petals
sessile – leaf with no stalk
sori – cluster of spore-producing structures e.g. Ferns
spadix – a finger-like column of minute flowers e.g. Arum italicum
spathe – a large sheath-like bract enclosing the flower cluster e.g. Arum italicum
spikelet – flowering part of a grass
spur – a tubular extension from the base of the corolla, containing nectar; e.g. Delphinium fissum
stamens – filament and anther of male flower
standard – upright rear petal e.g. Pea family
stigma – upper part of the female flower trapping the pollen
stipule – a small, leaf-like organ at the base of the leaf stalk
stolon – a creeping stem above or below ground
style – stalk that connects the stigma to the ovary
tepals – term used when petals and sepals are undifferentiated e.g. Bulbs
tuber – enlarged underground structure for storage of nutrients e.g. Orchids
umbel – umbrella-like, flat-topped cluster of flowers