10.4: Glossary

K-strategy

population growth when there is small number of offspring with high probability to survive

r-strategy

population growth when there is huge number of offspring with low probability to survive

absorption zone

root: zone of root hairs

achene

one-seeded indehiscent dry fruit of Compositae, cypsella

adventitious roots

originate from stem

anatomy

invisible, internal structure which needs tools like a scalpel and/or mi- croscope to study

anomalous secondary growth

when there are multiple, short lived layers of cam- bium

apical meristems

RAM (see) and SAM (see)

apogamy

apomixis (see) when an embryo develops from unfertilized gamete, parthenogenesis

apomixis

making seeds without fertilization

apospory

apomixis (see) when an embryo develops from the maternal diploid tissue

ataktostele

vascular bundles dispersed

bipolar plant body

both root and shoot systems present

botany

the scientific study of plants and plant-like organisms

brachyblasts

shortened shoots of pines, larches and some other Pinaceae conifers

bract scales

sterile bracts under seed scales in conifers

buds

embryonic shoots

bulb

short, thick underground storage shoot with prevalence of leaf tissues

calciphytes

plants adapted to over-presence of \(CaCO_3\)

Casparian strips

part of endodermis cell walls which prevents apoplastic trans- port

central cell

biggest cell of embryo sac, with two (or sometimes one) haploid nuclei

cladophylls

leaf-like, flattened shoots

cleistogamous

self-pollinated flowers which do not open

collenchyma

living supportive tissue

companion cells

nucleate “helpers” to anucleate sieve tube cells

complex tissues

tissues with more than one type of cells

compound fruit

fruit originated from the whole inflorescence: infrutescence

compound leaves

leaves with two or more level of hierarchy roots which pull plant deeper in substrate

contractile roots

roots which pull plant deeper in substrate

corm

short, thick underground storage shoot with prevalence of stem tissues

cortex

external layer of primary stem or root

cotyledon

embryonic leaf

cross-pollination

pollination between genetically different plants

cuticle

plastic-like isolation layer

dehiscent

fruits which open

dichotomous

branching: when terminal bud always divides in two

double fertilization

the process when two brother male gametes fertilize two sis- ter female cells

elongation zone

root: zone of expanding cells

embryo sac

female gametophyte of flowering plants

endodermis

the innermost layer of cortex

endophytic fungi

fungi which grow inside plant body

endosperm\(_1\)

haploid nutrition tissue originated from female gametophyte

endosperm\(_2\)

triploid (sometimes diploid) nutrition tissue originated from second fertilization

epicotyl

first internode of the stem

epidermis

complex surface tissue

eustele

vascular bundles in a ring

exodermis

the outermost layer of cortex

fibers

long and narrow sclerenchyma cells

fibrous root system

no primary root visible

fiddleheads

spiral tops of young fern leaves

floral units (FU)

elements of generative system, fructifications

flower

compact generative shoot with sterile, male and female zones, specifically in that order, other flower terms see in the separate glossary in the text

fronds

leaves of ferns

fruit

ripe floral unit (FU)

fusiform initials

cambium cells which make vessel elements

general characters

in leaf description, characters which are applicable only to the leaf as a whole

generative shoot system

all generative shoots together

ground meristem

primary meristem which makes cortex and pith

ground tissue

same as parenchyma (see) but only applied for tissue

halophytes

plants adapted to over-presence of NaCl

haustoria

sucker roots of parasitic plants

heartwood

non-functional part of wood

heliophytes

plants adapted to full sun

hemiparasites

photosynthetic plants, feeding partly on other plants

heterophylly

situation when one plant has more than one leaf type

heterosporic

with male and female spores

homoiohydric

plants that save water

hydrophytes

plants growing in water and frequently using water for the support

hygrophytes

terrestrial or partly submerged plants adapted to the excess water

hypocotyl

root/stem transitional place

idioblasts

solitary cells dissimilar from surrounding cells

indehiscent

fruits which do not open

indusia

covers of groups of sporangia (sori)

inflorescence

isolated generative shoot

integument

extra cover of megasporangium

intercalary

meristems which grow in two directions

internodes

spaces between nodes

lateral meristem

cambium, meristem appearing sideways

lateral veins

smaller veins, typically branching out of the main vein (see)leaf lateral photosynthetic organ of shoot with restricted growth

leaf primordia

embryonic leaves

leaf scars

marks of leaf petioles

leaf traces

marks of leaf vascular bundles

lenticels

“openings” in bark allowing for gas exchange

leptosporangia

sporangia with 1-celled wall

main vein

central, most visible vascular bundle of leaf (midrib)

marginal

meristems which are located on margins

maturation zone

root: oldest part of root

megaphyllous

with leaves originated from joint branches

megasporangia

female sporangia

megaspore

female spore

megasporophylls

modified leaves with attached megasporangia

meristems

sites of cell division

merosity

multiple of flower parts numbers

mesophyll

photosynthetic parenchyma of leaf

mesophytes

plants adapted to the average water

microspores

male spores

microsporgangia

male sporangia

monilophytes

all Pteridophyta except lycophytes

monopodial

branching: when terminal bud continues to grow every year

morphology

visible, external structure

multiple fruit

fruit originated from many pistils

mycoparasites

plants feeding on soil fungi

mycorrhiza

roots symbiotic with fungi

nodes

place where leaves are attached

nucellus

wall of megasporangium

ocrea

part of the leaf which goes upwards along the stem

opposite

leaf arrangement: two leaves per node

organ

union of different tissues which have common function(s) and origin

orthotropic

growth: vertical

ovule

seed plants: megasporangium with integument

oxylophytes

plants adapted to acidic substrates

palisade mesophyll

mesophyll of elongated, tightly packed cells

parcellate

reproduce vegetatively with easily rooted body parts

parenchyma

tissue or cell type of spherical, roughly connected living cells

perforations

openings

pericarp

most of fruit tissue

pericycle

parenchyma layer just outside of vascular tissues

periderm

secondary dermal tissue

perisperm

nutrition tissue originated from nucellus (see)

peristome

mosses: attachment to moss sporangium, helps to distribute spores

petrophytes

plants adapted to grow on rocky substrates

phellem

external layer of periderm, cork

phelloderm

internal layer of periderm

phellogen

cork cambium, lateral meristem making periderm

phloem

vascular tissue transporting sugars

phyllode

leaf-like petioles

phyllotaxis

leaf arrangement

pistil

cupule, additional cover of ovules

pit

structure connecting tracheids

pith

central layer of primary stem or root

plagiotropic

growth: horizontal

plants

are not animals!

plants\(_1\)

all photosynthetic organisms

plants\(_2\)

kingdom Vegetabilia

pneumatophores

air-catching heliotropic roots

poikilohydric

plants that do not save water

pollen sac

seed plants: microsporangium

pollen tube

fungus-like cell which brings spermatia (see) to egg

pollination

transfer of male gametophytes (pollen grains) from microsporangia (pollen sacs) to megasporangia (ovules) or cupules (pistils)

prickles

modified, prickly stem surface growths

primary meristems

intermediate tissues which start out of apical meristems and make primary tissues

primary root

originates from embryo root

primary stem

stem with primary tissues only

primary tissues

tissues originated from RAM or SAM (optionally through inter- mediate meristems)

procambium

intermediate meristem developing into cortex, pith and procam- bium, primary meristem which makes vascular tissues

protoderm

primary meristem which produce epidermis or rhizodermis

protonema

mosses: embryonic thread of cells

protostele

central xylem surrounded with phloem

psammophytes

plants adapted to grow on sandy substrates

quiescent center

core part of root apical meristem

raceme

basic monopodially branched inflorescence (Model I)

radial

section: cross-section

RAM

root apical meristem

ray initials

cambium cells which make rays

rays

stem: parenchyma cells arranged for horizontal transport

repetitive characters

in leaf description, characters which are applicable to the leaf parts on each level of hierarchy

rheophytes

water plants adapted to fast moving water

rhizodermis

root epidermis, root hairs

rhizoid cells

dead cells accumulating water apoplastically

rhizome

underground horizontal shoot

ring porous

wood: with large vessel elements mostly in early wood

root

an axial organ of plant with geotropic growth

root cap

protects root meristem

root nodules

bulb-like structures which contain nitrogen-fixing bacteria

root pressure

pressure force made solely by roots

SAM

stem apical meristem

sapwood

functional part of wood

schizocarp

fruits which segregate into smaller indehiscent units

sciophytes

plants adapted to shade

sclerenchyma

dead supportive tissue

sclerophytes

plants preventing water loss, they frequently employ sclerenchyma

secondary (lateral) roots

originate from primary root (see)

secondary vascular tissues

secondary phloem and secondary xylem

seed

chimeric structure with mother (seed coat), daughter (embryo) and endosperm genotypes

seed scales

megasporophylls (see) of conifers

seta

mosses: stalk of the sporogon (see)

sheath

part of leaf which surrounds the stem

shoot plant body

unipolar body: no root system, shoots only

sieve tube cells

living cells which transport sugar

simple fruit

fruit originated mostly from one pistil

simple leaf

leaf with one level of hierarchy

simple tissues

tissues with uniform cells

siphonogamy

fertilization with the help of pollen tube

solenostele

vascular bundles in “hollow” cylinder

sori

clusters of sporangia

spermatium

aflagellate, non-motile sperm cell (plural: spermatia)

spines

reduced, prickly leaves

spiral

leaf arrangement, or alternate leaf arrangement: one leaf per node

spongy mesophyll

mesophyll of round, roughly packed cells

sporogon

moss sporophyte

stele

configuration of vascular tissues in stem or root

stem

axial organ of shoot

stipules

small attachments to the leaf; typically, located near the base of petiole

stolon

aboveground horizontal shoot

stomata

(stoma) pores which opened and closed by guard cells

succulents

plants accumulate water

surface / volume law

when body size grows, body surface grows slower then body volume (and weight)

sympodial

branching: when terminal bud degrades every year

synangia

adnate sporangia

tangential

section when plane is tangent to surface

tap root system

primary root well developed

tendrils

organ modifications using for climbing

terminal characters

in leaf description, characters which are applicable only to the leaf terminals (leaflets)

thallus

flat, non-differentiated body

thorns

prickly shoots

thyrsus

basic sympodially branched inflorescence (Model II)

tissue

is a union of cells which have common origin, function and similar morphology

tracheary elements

water-transporting dead cells

tracheids

tracheary elements without perforations (openings)

transverse

section: longitudinal

tuber

enlarged portion of rhizome

tyloses

“stoppers” for tracheary elements made by parenchyma cells, vessel el- ement “stoppers”

vascular bundles

“chords” made of xylem (inner) and phloem (outer) layers

vascular cylinder

“hollow” cylinder made of xylem (inner) and phloem (outer) layers

vascular plants

Pteridophyta + Spermatophyta

vascular tissues

tissues which transport Shoot systemliquids

velamen

absorption tissue made of dead cells

vessel members

tracheary elements with preforations (openings)

wood

secondary xylem, stem: everything deeper than vascular cambium

xerophytes

plants adapted to the scarce water

xylem

vascular tissue transporting water