Flora of North America Glossary
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| Term | Synonyms | Category | Limitation | Definition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| spermatozoid | = antherozoid; < sperm | STRUCTURE | A motile male gamete, produced within an antheridium. | |
| …spermous | = …seeded | architecture | fruit | Having the number of seeds indicated by the prefix; as in oligospermous, polyspermous, tetraspermous. |
| spheric(al) | = globose, globular, orbicular, rotund, spheroid(al) | solid shape | Uniformly convex, circular in any median section and in outline when viewed from any angle; like a sphere or globe. | |
| spheroid(al) | = globose, globular, orbicular, rotund, spheric(al) | solid shape | Uniformly convex, circular in any median section and in outline when viewed from any angle; like a sphere or globe. | |
| spicate | architecture | inflorescence | Comprising one or more spikes. | |
| spiciform | = spike-like | architecture | capitulescence, inflorescence | Resembling a spike, but not strictly such. |
| spiculate | relief | Having small, fine, stiff, acute protrusions that resemble little spikes. See also scabridulous (scabrellate, scabrellous, which is not clearly distinct in its application. | ||
| spicule | STRUCTURE | A small, fine, stiff, acute protrusion that resembles a little spike. | ||
| spicy | odor | Pleasantly pungent, reminiscent of spices. | ||
| spike | nominative | inflorescence | An elongate, determinate or usually indeterminate axis bearing sessile flowers inserted singly along it, unbranched or sometimes bearing lateral branches of the same nature. | |
| spikelet | nominative | inflorescence | A compound structure belonging to the penultimate subdivisional order of a sedge or grass inflorescence; consisting of one or more florets (each a diminutive flower subtended by specialized bractlets (bracteoles) called scales or glumes in sedges, lemma and palea in grasses), spicately arranged along a common axis (rachilla), the axis and florets together subtended by one or (usually) two bracts (first and second glumes). The spikelet is usually considered to be the basic unit of inflorescence in Cyperaceae and Poaceae (Gramineae). | |
| spikeleted | architecture | inflorescence | Having the penultimate subdivisional order consisting of spikelets. | |
| spike-like | = spiciform | architecture | capitulescence, inflorescence | Resembling a spike, but not strictly such. |
| spindle-shaped | = fusiform | solid shape | Elongate, transversely round, broadest at the middle and regularly attenuate to either end. | |
| spine | = thorn | STRUCTURE | Any sharp, stiff, simple or branched, woody appendage having vascular tissues confluent with those of the bearing structure. "Spine" is often preferred when the appendage is homologous with a leaf or stipule, and "thorn" when it is homologous with a branch. See also prickle. | |
| spinescent | architecture | Becoming spinose. | ||
| spinose 1 | apex | Terminating in a rigid, tapering, sharp continuation of the central primary vein. See also spinulose. | ||
| spinose 2 | = echinate, spiny | architecture | Bearing spines. See also spinulose. | |
| spinose 3 | = aculeate, spiny | margin | Having slender, stiff, sharp projections oriented in the general plane of the structure. See also spinulose. | |
| spinulose | apex | Finely spinose. | ||
| spinulose | architecture | Finely spinose. | ||
| spinulose | margin | Finely spinose. | ||
| spiny 1 | = echinate, spinose | architecture | Bearing spines. | |
| spiny 2 | = aculeate, spinose | margin | Having slender, stiff, sharp projections oriented in the general plane of the structure. | |
| spiral 1 | = acyclic, helical | arrangement | Disposed helically about and along the axis, each on a different radius than the one(s) vertically adjacent. |
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