Glossary

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Aceraceae

(Sapindaceae) Maple Family. Comprised of 2-4 genera and about 120 species. Species include trees, shrubs, lianas or herbaceous vines with simple, palmate, trifoliolate, or pinnate leaves.

Adelgidae

Pine or Spruce Aphid Family. Comprised of 2 genera and about 22 species that are native to the northern hemisphere. Member of this family are covered with a dense woolly wax and only lay eggs.

Allelopathic

Suppressing growth of a potential plant competitor by the release of toxic or inhibiting substances.

Amaranthaceae

Amaranth Family. Comprised of about 175 genera and more than 2,500 species, mostly herbs and subshrubs. Members of this family can be annuals or perennials and commonly grow in saline soils. Characterized simple leaves and the presence of betalain pigment which causes the stems, roots, leaves or flowers of many species to be red in color.

Annual

Refers to plants that complete their life cycle within one year.

Antennae

Paired sensory organs originating on the insect head.

To the front.

Apiaceae

(formerly Umbelliferae) Carrot, Celery or Parsley Family. Comprised of about 434 genera and nearly 3,780 species of aromatic herbs. Members of this family usually have hollow stems, small flowers in umbels, flowers with five petals, and white, yellow or pink (not blue) flowers.

Apocynaceae

Dogbane Family. Comprised of 400 genera and about 4,555 species of trees, shrubs, woody vines and herbs. Members of this family usually have simple leaves, milky sap, a five part calyx, clusters of flowers, five large petals joined at the base and five stamens.

Aquatic

Growing in water.

Araceae

Arum Family. Comprised of 140 genera and about 4,075 species. Members of this family are characterized by flowers that are borne on a type of inflorescence called a spadix. The spadix is usually accompanied by, and sometimes partially enclosed in, a spathe (leaf-like bract).

Aril

Fleshy seed cover.

Asclepiadaceae

(now known as Asclepiadoideae) Milkweed Subfamily. Comprised of more than 214 genera and about 2,400 species of tropical herbs or shrubby climbers, rarely shrubs or trees. Members of this family have milky sap, flowers with five united petals, pod like fruit, and, usually, tufted seeds.

Asteraceae

(formerly Compositae) Aster, Daisy or Composite Family. Comprised of more than 1,620 genera and 23,600 species of herbs, shrubs and trees. It is considered the largest plant family. Members of this family usually have daisy-type flowers and are not big trees or aquatic.

Awn

A bristlelike appendage of a plant, especially on the glumes of grasses.

Axil

The angle between the leafstalk and the stem that bears it.