Botanical Glossary

Illustrated Glossary of Terms

Monocot
Dicot
Graminoid
Forb
Leaf Arrangement
1. Opposite
2. Alternate
3. Whorled
4. Basal
5. Sessile

The Leaf
- Simple
- Compound
- Petiole
- Venation
  - Pinnate
    - BiPinnate
    - TriPinnate
  - Palmate
  - Parallel
Leaf Shapes
- Linear
- Lanceolate
- Oblong
- Elliptic
- Ovate
- Oblanceolate
- Spatulate
- Obovate
- Sagittate
- Auriculate
- Hastate

Leaf Bases
- Truncate
- Cordate
- Cuneate
- Obtuse
- Peltate
- Perforate
- Connate-Perfoliate
Leaf Apices
- Acuminate
- Acute
- Obtuse
- Truncate
- Retuse
- Emarginate
- Obcordate
- Mucronate
- Cuspidate
Leaf Margins
- Entire
- Serrate
- Doubly serrate
- Dentate
- Crenate
- Undulate
- Sinuate
- Incised
Types of Pinnately Veind Leaves
- Pinnately Lobed
- Pinnately Cleft
- Pinnately Parted
- Pinnately Compound
Types of Palmately Veined Leaves
- Cordate
- Reniform
- Peltate
- Palmately Lobed
- Palmately Cleft
- Palmately Parted
- Palmately Compound

The Flower
- Basic Shape and Whorls – Radial Symmetry
- Basic Shapes and Whorls – Bilateral Symmetry
Hypanthium

Pistils (Gynoecium)
- Stigma
- Style
- Ovary
  - Inferior
  - Superior
Stamens (Androecium)
- Anther
- Filament
Petals
- Fused
- Not Fused
- Campanulate
- Tepals
- Sepals
Inflorescence Shape
- Catkin
- Spike
- Spadix
- Head
- Corymb
- Umbel
- Compound Umbel
- Raceme
- Panicle
- Solitary
- Cyme
- Compound Cyme
- Scorpoid Cyme
- Disk and Ray Flowers
Seeds/Fruit
- Dry Fruits
  - Dehiscent Fruits
    - Follicle
    - Legume
    - Capsule
    - Silique
  - Indehiscent Fruits
    - Achene
    - Grain or Caryopsis
    - Samara
    - Schizocarp
    - Loment
    - Nut
  - Fleshy Fruits
    - Berry
    - Drupe
    - Pepo
    - Pome
    - Hesperidium
    - Hip
Parts of a Grass
- Spikelets
  - Awn
  - Lemma
  - Glume
  - Bract
  - Scale
  - Stigma
  - Achene
- Inflorescence
- Node
- Habit
- Blade
- Stem
  - Blade
  - Ligule
  - Auricle
  - Sheath

Better Learning Through Botany