mystic wrote:
>It would be a heck of a lot easier if you would just look up these terms
>in the back of the textbook -- either your own class book, or of a
>college level botany book. There's probably not a single web site for
>these very basic terms. With one book in hand, you could make a field
>study sheet for these terms, and maybe even find examples of these given
>in the text so that you could have them at hand when you go collecting.
>The web is not a good substitute for bookwork, believe me. It's better
>for finding one single piece of info, rather than an entire subject.
>Get what you can out of the books first, THEN hit the web to search
>for particular families of plants that have been suggested by the book.
>I can get you started with a few definitions below.
>Good luck
>
I have to agree - however, the net is littered with helpful people. If
you have the ability to find them, you are more than entitled to the
information.
>> ______________________________
>> PLANTS WITH:
>> calyptra-MOSSES - THE PAPERY LITTLE BROWN 'CAP' ON TOP OF THE BROWN
STALK - YOU HAVE TO LOOK CLOSELY FOR THESE
>> modified leaf -- spines or thorns
>> leaf node scars -- places where the leaf has fallen off
>> internodes -- everything with leaves has these. These are the spaces
> on the stems between leaf nodes
>> petiole-- the short stem that attaches a leaf to the main stem
>> lateral bud growth- MOST TREES HAVE THIS - ANY BRANCH IS AN EXAMPLE
>> simple palmate veined leaf -- maple
>> compound pinnate leaf - FERNS THE LEAF IS ACTUALLY THE WHOLE FROND,
STARTING FROM THE GROUND
>> radicle - GERMINATE A BEAN SEED. THIS IS THE EARLY ROOT STRUCTURE
>> fibrous roots- STUFF LIKE GRASS, CORN
>> tap roots - like carrots/dandelions/pecan trees
>> chorled leaf arrangement -- don't you mean 'whorled'? That's leaves
> arranged in a circular cluster around the stem.
>> entire leaf - MEANS THAT THE EDGE OF THE LEAF IS SMOOTH
>> toothed pinnate - LEAF EDGE LOOKS LIKE TEETH
>> doubly compound leaf - FERNS HERE AGAIN - CHECK OUT HOW MANY TIMES THE
LEAF SEEMS TO 'BRANCH' (REALLY NEAT!)
>> waxy simple leaf -- HOUSEPLANTS ARE GOOD FOR THIS - RUBBER TREES,
FICUS (JUST MEANS THAT THE LEAF ISN'T DIVIDED UP AT ALL AFTER COMES OUT
OF THE STEM, AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT HAS A LAYER OF WAX ON TOP, OR IS SHINY)
>> large shade adapted leaf -- catalpa, THE LEAVES BELOW ARE BEING
SHADED BY THE ONES ABOVE, SO THEY GET BIGGER TO GET MORE LIGHT
>> leaf adapted to avoid excess water loss -- holly, magnolia
>> leaf adapted for water storage -
>> a nitrogen fixer -- clover, peanuts, ANYTHING IN THE PEA/BEAN FAMILY
>> tendrils -- any vine with little curly things coming off the stem
>> sori on frond -- FERN frond. Sori are the structures containing the
spores
>> resistance to dessication (not leaf)-- cactus/succulents
>> plumule
>> seed coat- THE HARD COVERING ON A SEED
>> primary growth - PLANTS THAT DON'T HAVE WOOD
>> xerophyte - ADAPTED TO REALLY DRY CONDITIONS
>> halophyte - ADAPTED TO REALLY SALTY CONDITIONS
>> mineral deficiency -- try azalea that has yellowed because it doesn't have an acidic-enough soil
>> adventitious roots
>> toxic plant -- castor bean/nightshade/oleander/loco weed/foxglove
>> bulb -- onion
>> leucoplasts
>> leaf axil- WHERE THE LEAF STALK (AKA 'PETIOLE') MEETS THE STEM
>> wind dipersed seed -- dandelion fluff/maple wings
>> germinating seed - WHEN THE SEED STARTS SPROUTING
>> seed dispersed on fur -- sticker burrs
>> ____________________________________
>> FLOWERS WITH:
>> simple (primitive) dicot
>> inferior ovary - MEANS THE PART THAT BECOMES THE FRUIT (THE OVARY) IS
CLOSER TO THE STEM THAN WHERE THE PETALS AND OTHER FLOWER PARTS ARE
ATTACHED.
>> bilateral symmetry -- iris/sweet peas
>> inflorescence - THE STEM THAT HAS FLOWERS ON IT
>> insect guidelines - THESE ARE ANY PIGMENTS (MANY OF WHICH YOU CAN'T
SEE) THAT ARE LINES FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE FLOWER TO THE CENTER - SHOWS A
POLLINATING INSECT WHERE THE NECTAR IS.
>> non-greeen sepals - dogwood TULIPS, I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND POINSETTIA
>> composite flower - DAISYS. REALLY COOL - THE 'PETALS' ARE ACTUALLY
INDIVIDUAL FLOWERS, AND ALL THE BUMPS INSIDE ARE, TOO. LOOK CLOSELY AT
THE BASE OF EACH OF THESE STRUCTURES, AND YOU'LL FIND ALL THE 'NORMAL'
FLOWER PARTS THERE
>> adaptations to prevent self-pollination - PLANTS WITH MALE AND FEMALE
FLOWERS ON DIFFERENT PLANTS - WILLOWS, HOLLY
>> wind pollinated flower - ALDERS, WILLOWS, BIRCH
>> umbel - CARROT FAMILY INFLORESCENCE TYPE - CARROTS, FENNEL
>> incomplete perfect
>> imperfect flower - FLOWER WITH ONLY MALE OR FEMALE PARTS
>> fused corolla -- trumpet vine/ morning glory
>> raceme - TYPE OF INFLORESCENCE - CHECK OUT A TEXTBOOK FOR A PICTURE
>> visible ovules in ovary - ANYTHING WITH THE DEVELOPING SEEDS VISIBLE
APPLE FLOWERS ARE GOOD
>> pollen grains MALE PART STUFF, USUALLY YELLOW
>> citrus flower - orange/lime/
>> hummingbird pollinated flower HIBISCUS, MOST ANY RED FLOWER WITH A LONG
TUBE
>Matt,
I trust you asked these with an honest desire to find out, not just to
have someone tell you which plants to get. I hope my definitions have
helped.
tania
