Mazon Creek - Glossary

Glossary

A

acroscopic

the margin of the pinnule that faces the apex of the pinna on which it is borne

acuminate

sharply pointed with concave sides

acute

tapering to a pointed apex with more or less straight sides

alternate

borne singly at each node, as leaves on a stem

apex

tip of the leaf, farthest from the stem

apical

of, at, or forming the apex

arcuate

curved like an arch or bow

areolae

a space enclosed by veins

auricle

an ear-shaped appendage or lobe

axis

the central supporting structure or a line around which various organs are borne

B

basal

relating to, or situated at, the base, near the stem

basiscopic

the margin of the pinnule that faces the base of the pinna on which it is borne

bipinnate

twice pinnate; with divisions again divided..

bract

leaf-like, often leathery part of a cone or strobilus

C

cf.

similar to, conforms with

concretion

rounded to oblong hard mass found in sedimentary rocks, usually formed around a core

cone

spiral structure composed of modified leaves or bracts that bear sporangia or seeds

confluent –  flowing together or blending of one part into another

conical

cone-shaped, attached at the broad end

connate

fusion of like parts

constricted base

base drawn together or compressed

contiguous

adjoining; touching

cordate

heart-shaped with the pointed end away from the stem

coriaceous

with a leathery texture

crenate

margin with rounded lobes

crenulate

margin with small, rounded teeth

cuneate

narrowly triangular, with an acute angle toward the base

cuneiform

wedge-shaped

D

decorticated

to divest of the bark 

decurrent

extending downward from the point of insertion 

dentate

margin with sharp teeth pointing outward, not forward

dentation

condition of having an edge notched with teeth

dichotomous

forked into two nearly equal branches

distal

away from the point of attachment

dorsal

the surface of a leaf facing away from the main axis or stem, the lower surface

E

elliptical

oblong with rounded ends

ensiform

sword-shaped

entire

not toothed or divided

epiphyte

a plant that grows on another plant but is not parasitic

F

falcate

sickle-shaped

flabellate

fan-shaped

flexuous

with curves or bends

free

distant not attached to other organs

frond

large divided leaf of a fern or seed fern

furrow

groove or wrinkle

G

genus

a group of similar and related species (pl. genera)

genera

Groups of similar and related species (singlar genus)

globular

somewhat or nearly spherical

gymnospermous

having ovules and seeds without a protective case

H

hastate

arrowhead-shaped with outward-turned basal lobes

herbaceous

having a non-woody stem

holotype

a single scientifically designated specimen used to describe a species

I

internode

space on a stem between nodes

L

lamina

the expanded portion of a leaf

lanceolate

lance-shaped; much longer than wide, with the widest point below the middle

lateral veins

branches extending off of the midvein toward the margin

lax

loose; open; not compact

leaf scar

pattern left on a leaf cushion after the leaf falls off

leaflet

segment of a compound leaf

leaves

photosynthetic organs of green plants growing from a stem

linear

long and narrow with a uniform width and more or less parallel sides

lineate

marked with lines

lobe

a rounded division on the margin of a leaf

lobed

having lobes that are cut less than halfway to the base or midvein

M

micropyle

the narrow channel or opening of the ovule through which it is fertilized

midvein

primary vein of a leaf, leaflet, pinna, or pinnule that divides the structure into two parts

mixoneuran-like

having many smaller veins along with a weak midvein entering a pinnule that has a constricted base

morphology

study of form and structure

N

nodes

joints of a stem from which leaves or bundles arise

nodule

rounded or oval mass of fine-grained rock

nucellus

shell surrounding the megaspore in an ovule (seed)

O

oblique

not at a right angle; slanted

oblanceolate

reverse of lanceolate, with the attachment at the narrow end

oblong

two to four times longer than broad, with nearly parallel sides

obtuse

blunt or rounded at the end, with sides angled at greater more than 90 degrees

orbicular

generally circular in outline

ovate

having an outline like that of an egg, with broader end at the base or stem

ovule

unfertilized seed

P

palmate

divided from a common point, like the fingers of a hand

penultimate pinna

next to last

petiole

the leaf stalk

pinna (pl. pinnae)

the primary divisions of a pinnate leaf (composed of pinnules) 

pinnate

leaflets arranged along the sides of a rachis..

pinnatifid

deeply lobed, more than halfway but not completely to mid-rib.

pinnule(s)

a secondary division; the leaflet part of a pinna

pith

tissue in central part of the stem

platyspermic

a flat seed; wider than thick

pollen

the mature microspores of seed plants

polymorphic

variable, having many forms

primary rachis

main branch originating from the stem

proximal

near the place of attachment

punctate

dotted with pits

Q

quadripinnate

a pinnate frond divided four times.

R

rachis

the axis of a compound leaf

radiospermic

a seed, that is symmetrical in a transverse section

reticulate

net-veined

rootlet

ultimate branch of a root

S

sarcotesta

outer seed coat

sclerotesta

hard inner seed coat

seed

reproductive structure of the flowering plants, conifers and a few other plants including the seed ferns

sessile

directly attached without a stalk or  petiole

siderite

ferrous iron carbonate

simple

undivided

sinus

a cleft between two organs

sorus

discrete clusters of sporangia found on some ferns( pl. sori)

spatulate

spatula-or spoon-shaped, rounded and tapered to the base

species

a group of morphologically similar individuals able to interbreed

sporangiophore

a stalk bearing sporangia

sporangium

a case containing spores (pl. sporangia)

spore

reproductive body of pteridophytes and lower plants, analogous to a seed

sporophyll

individual cone scale or bract

stalk

supporting structure; stem

stem

ascending axis of a plant, above or below ground, bearing leaves and reproductive units

striate

having fine longitudinal lines or grooves

strobilus (pl. strobili)

a fruiting body marked by imbricating scales or bracts

sub-

(prefix)slightly, almost or somewhat 

synangia

compound sporangium in which the sporangia are attached to one another

synangium

group of united sporangia

syntype

a specimen of a type series (of equal rank) when no holotype or lectotype has been named

T

taxon (pl.  taxa)

entity of any taxonomic rank: order, family, genus or species

taxonomy

study of the principles and practices of classification

testa

the seed coat

trifoliate

with three leaves

tripinnate

a pinnate frond divided into three parts..

truncate

having an even or square end

type

specimens cited by the author of a name of a species

U

ultimate pinna

last in order..

undulate

wavy

V

vein

one of the radiating supports and vessels forming the framework of a leaf.  Types of veins include midveins, lateral veins, and veinlets.

veinlets

branches of the vein after forking

venation

arrangement of veins in a pattern

ventral

surface of a leaf turned toward the main axis or stem; the upper surface

villous

bearing soft, unwoven hairs

W

whorl

circle of similar organs radiating from a common point

Pronunciation

A

Alethopteris

Al-ah-thop’-ter-iss

Annularia

An-u-lare’-e-ah

Aphlebia

A-flee’-be-ah

Artisia

Ar-tiss’-e-ah

Asolanus

Ay’-sole-ane’-us

Aspidiopsis

Ass-pid-ee-op’-sis

Asterophyllites

Aster-o-fill-i’-tees

Asterotheca

Aster-o-thee’-ca

C

Calamites

Cal-ah-mite’-ease

Calamostachys

Cal-ah-mo-stack’-iss

Callipteridium

Call-lip’-ter-id’-e-um

Cardiocarpus

Car’de-o-car’-puss

Carpolithus

Car’-po-lith’-uss

Caulopteris

Call-op’-ter-iss

Codonotheca

Co-don’-o-thee-cuh

Cordaianthus

Cor-dee-an’-thuss

Cordaicarpus

Cor-dee-ah-car’-puss

Cordaites

Cor-die’-tees

Crossotheca

Cross’-o-thee’-cuh

Cyclopteris

Cy-clop’-ter-iss

Cyperites

Cy-pur-rite’-tees

D

Desmopteris

Dez-mop’-ter-iss

E

Eremopteris

Air-rem-op’-ter-iss

K

Knorria

Nor’-re-ah

L

Lagenospermum

Lag’-en-o-sper-mum

Lepidodendron

Lep’-id-o-den’-drun

Lepidophloios

Lep’-id-o-flow’-e-us

Lepidophyllum

Lep’-id-o-fill’-um

Lepidostrobus

Lep’-id-o-stro’-buss

Linopteris

Lie-nop’-ter-iss

Lycopodites

Lie’-co-po-die’-tees

M

Macrostachya

Mac-ro-stack’-e-ah

Mariopteris

Mary-op’-ter-iss

Megaphyton

Meg’-ah-fi’-ton

Mixoneura

Mix’-on-ur’-a

N

Neuropteris

Nu-rop’-ter-iss

O

Odontopteris

O-don-top’-ter-is

P

Pachytesta

Pack’-ah-test-ah

Paleostachya

Pale-e-o-stack’-e-ah

Pecopteris

Pe-cop’-ter-iss

Pinnularia

Pin-u-lare’-e-ah

Ptychocarpus

Tie’-co-car’-puss

R

Renaultia

Ren-all’-tee-ah

Reticulopteris

Re-tick-u-lop’-ter-iss

Rhabdocarpus

Rab-doe-car’-puss

S

Samaropsis

Sam’-are-op’-sis

Sigillaria

Sij’-jill-air’-e-ah

Sigillariostrobus

Sij’-jill-air’-e-o-stro’-buss

Sphenophyllostachys

Sphee’-no-fill’-o-stack’-us

Sphenophyllum

Sphee’-no-fill’-um

Sphenopteris

Sphee-nop’-ter-iss

Spiropteris

Spy-rop’-ter-iss

Stigmaria

Stig-mare’-e-ah

Syringodendron

Syr-ring’-o-den’-dron

T

Trigonocarpus

Trig’-o-no-car’-puss

U

Ulodendron

U’-lo-den-dron

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