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The Ultimate Bonsai Glossary


A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A

Achene = Dry one-seeded fruit with tight,thin outer wall which does not open when ripe.
Acicular = Needle-like
Alkaloid = Organic compound containing carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen which has a basic reaction.
Aternate = Arrangement of leaves which are placed at a different heights on either side of the stem.
Aril = Freshy appendage of th funiculus which partially or wholly covers the seed.
Axil = Upper angle formed by a leaf and its stalk on a stem.

B

Berry = A pulpy or freshy fruit with pericarp containing one or more hard-coated seeds.
Bilobate = Divided into two lobes, as of a leaf.
Bipinnate = Doubly pinnate, as of a leaf consisting of a central axis and lateral axes to which leaflets are attached.
Bisexual = Plant bearing seperate functional male and female flowers.
Bract = Leaf-like appendage at base of a flower or enfolding an inflorescence, often brightly colored.

C

Calyx = Outer ring of sepals beneth the petals, serving to protect the flower when in bud.
Catkin = String of single-sex flowers, without petals, often pendulous.
Compound Leaf = A leaf, consisting of two or more leaflets.
Cone = Fruit of a conifer consisting of woody scales enclosing naked multiple ovules or seeds.
Cordate = Heart-shaped.
Coriaceous = Having the texture or consistency of leather.
Corymb = Flat or convex inflorescence with longer outer flower stalks.
Crenate = Narrowly toothed, more or less rounded, as of a leaf margin.
Cultivar = Cultivated variety.

D

Deciduous = Referring to plants that drop their leaves at the end of a growing season.
Denate = Sharply toothed, as of leaf margins.
Digitate = Finger-like, with radiating lobes or leaflets.
Dioecious = Having male and female organs on seperate plants.
Drupe = A simple, freshly fruit consisting of three layers: an outer skin, an inner freshly portion, and a hard inner shell, usually enclosing one seed.

E

Edulis = Edible.
Elegans = Elegant, slender, willowy plant shaped.
Endocarp = Inner protective layer of pericarp around seed.
Epicarp = Outer protective layer of pericarp.
Eye = An undeveloped growth bud.

F

Filiform = Thread-like.
Floridus = Free-flowering.
Fruticosus = Shrubby.
Fulgens = Shiny.

G

Glabrous = Smooth, without hairs.
Gland = Small liquid-secreting structure or organ on or near surface of plant.
Glaucous = Gray-blue.
Glucoside = Plant or animal which together with other molecular aggregates contains a molecule of a sugar, decomposed by enzymes.
Gracilis = Slender, thin, small plant shape.
Grandis = Large, showy plant shape.

H

Herbaceous = Nonwoody.
Hortensis = Of gardens.
Humisusis = Sprawling-on-the-ground plant form.
Humilis = Low small, humble plant form.
Humus = The late stage of rotting organic material.
Hybrid = Plant created by crossing two species of the same genus or two varieties of the same species.

I

Imparipinnate = Of a leaf, Pinnate with a terminal leaflet.
Indehiscent = Not opening at maturity.
Inflorescence = Flowering part of a plant.
Insularis = Of the island.
Internode = Section of a stem between two successive nodes.
Involucre = Collection of bracts, usually around the base of a flower cluster.

J

Jin = The dead apex of a tree, usually found only on hardwood trees; literally means "God" and is a symbolic of the Supreme Being's influence on nature.

K

Kasa-zukuri = Plant on the shape of an umbrella.
Kusamomo = Grass plantings.

L

Lanceolate = Lance-shaped.
Lateral = Positioned at side; extension of a branch or shoot.
Legume = Pod or seed vessel of the pea family, splitting length-wise to release seeds.
Linear = Long and narrow, with parallel sides.
Lobe = Projection or division of a leaf or petal
Luteus = Reddish-yellow color.

M

Maculatus = Spotted.
Membranous = Of thin, papery consistency.
Mollis = Soft, soft hairy.
Monoecious = Seperate male and female flowers on the same plant.
Mucronate = Terminating in a point.

N

Nanus = Dwarf plant.
Nutans = Nodding, swaying.
Node = Joints occurring at intervals along the stem of a plant from which a leaf or bud develops.

O

Obtusus = Blunt or flattened.
Oleoresin = Essential oil mixed with resin, secreted by certain plants.
Opposite = Leaf arrangement in pairs along an axis, one opposite the other.
Ovate = Egg-shaped, with larger parts towards the base.

P

Palmate = With leaflets or lobes radiating like outstretched fingers from central point.
Panicle = Indeterminate, compound flower structure with groups of flowers on short stalks.
Papilionaceous = referring to a corolla with seperated petals arranged in the form of a butterfly.
Peduncle = Stalk of a flower.
Perennial = Plant theat lives for three years or more.
Perianth = Envelope of a flower.
Pericarp = Wall of a ripened ovary or fruit.
Petiole = Leaf stalk.
Pinnate = Compound leaf with leaflets.
Pistil = Female reproductive parts of flower.
Pneumatophore = A modified root which serves as a respiratory organ for many aquatic or bog plants.
Polymorphous = Of various forms or stages.
Pome = Fruit with freshy body and cartilaginous core enclosing seeds.
Prostrate = Habit of a plant with branches that creep along the ground.
Pubescent = Covered with short soft hairs.

Q
coming soon....

R

Raceme = Simple, unbranched inflorescence with flowers on an enlongated axis.
Revolute = Rolled backwards, as of a leaf margin or petal.
Rhizome = Modified stem which develops horizontally underground.
Rootstock = Part of a grafted plant which supplies the roots.
Rugosus = Wrinkled, rough.

S

Samara = Indehiscent dry winged fruit.
Sessile = Attached by base, without stalk.
Spike = Inflorescence consisting of enlongated axis with stalkless flowers arranged at intervals.
Squamous = Covered with scales.
Stamen = Male part of flower.
Stomate = Minute pore in the epidermis of a leaf or stem through which gases are exchanged.
Strobilus = Cone-like reproductive structure with spores bearing appendages or scales.
Suberose = Cork-like.
Subulate = Awl-shaped, tapering to a pointed apex.
Succulent = Plant with swollen, freshy leaves and stems capable of storing water.

T

Tap-root = Descending main root giving off samll lateral roots.
Terminal = At or close to tip.
Trifid = Of a leaf or petal, divided into three lobes.
Truss = A terminal cluster of flowers.

U

Underplanting = Planting a low plant under a large one.

V

Vermiculite = Heat-puffed mica.

W

Watersprout = Unchecked, sudden upward growth as the result of severe prunning.
Whorl = Three or more leaves, branches,or stems growing out from one location on a branch.

X
coming soon...

Y
coming soon...

Z
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