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Learn botanical and ecological terms to understand tree descriptions
100 terms
uh-KYOO-mih-nayt
A leaf tip that tapers to a long, slender point, like a drawn-out drip tip.
uh-KYOOT
A leaf apex (tip) that tapers to a sharp point forming an angle between 45-90 degrees.
AIR DRY-ing
The process of drying freshly cut lumber by exposing it to air, reducing moisture content before use.
uh-LEE-loh-path-ee
The ability of some plants to release chemicals that inhibit the growth of neighboring plants.
AWL-ter-net
A leaf arrangement where leaves are attached one per node, staggered along the stem.
air-oh-MAT-ik
Having a pleasant, distinctive smell or fragrance, especially when leaves, bark, or other plant parts are crushed, bruised, or cut.
BARK
The protective outer covering of a tree's trunk, branches, and roots.
BAIR-ee
A fleshy fruit with seeds embedded in the pulp, developed from a single flower's ovary.
BY-oh-dih-VER-sih-tee
The variety of all living things in an area, including different species, genes, and ecosystems.
by-PIN-ate
A twice-compound leaf where each leaflet is further divided into smaller leaflets, creating a feather-like appearance.
BOHL
The main trunk of a tree from ground level to the first major branches, representing the commercially valuable portion used for lumber and the primary structural support for the crown.
BUH-tress roots
Large, wing-like root extensions that project from the base of a tree trunk, providing extra stability.
KAN-uh-pee
The upper layer of a forest formed by the crowns of tall trees.
KAN-oh-pee GAP
An opening in the forest canopy created when a large tree falls, allowing sunlight to reach the forest floor.
KAN-uh-pee LAY-er
The upper layer of a forest where the crowns of tall trees form a continuous cover, typically 25-40 meters high in tropical rainforests.
KAP-sool
A dry fruit that splits open when ripe to release many seeds.
SY-teez
An international treaty that regulates trade in endangered plants and animals, including many valuable timber species.
KLOWD FOR-est
A high-elevation tropical forest almost constantly shrouded in clouds and mist, creating a uniquely wet ecosystem.
KOM-pound LEEF
A leaf that is divided into multiple separate leaflets, all attached to a single stem.
KAH-piss
A traditional woodland management technique where trees are cut to ground level, allowing multiple new shoots to grow from the stump, producing a sustainable cycle of small-diameter wood without replanting.
KOR-dayt
Heart-shaped, usually describing leaves that are rounded with a notch at the base, like a valentine heart.
KROWN
The upper branching part of a tree, consisting of branches, twigs, and foliage.
KROWN SHY-ness
A natural phenomenon where tree canopies avoid touching each other, creating distinctive gap patterns that resemble puzzle pieces or rivers of light when viewed from below.
deh-SID-you-us
A tree that loses all its leaves seasonally, typically during the dry season in tropical regions.
deh-HISS-ent
Describes fruits or seed pods that naturally split open along specific seams when ripe, actively releasing seeds rather than relying on external forces for dispersal.
dy-EE-shus
Plants that have separate male and female individuals - each tree produces either male or female flowers, never both.
drowt TAWL-er-unss
The ability of a plant to survive and grow during periods of water scarcity or limited rainfall.
DROOP
A fleshy fruit with a hard pit or stone containing a single seed, like a peach or mango.
ih-LIP-tik
An oval or football-shaped leaf that is widest in the middle and tapers equally toward both ends.
ih-MUR-jent tree
A very tall tree that rises above the main forest canopy, standing isolated in full sun exposure.
en-DEM-ik
A species that is found naturally only in one specific geographic area and nowhere else in the world.
en-TIRE
A leaf margin (edge) that is completely smooth and uninterrupted, without teeth, lobes, or indentations.
EP-ih-fyte
A plant that grows on another plant but doesn't harm it, getting nutrients from air and rain.
EV-er-green
A plant that retains its leaves year-round, maintaining green foliage in all seasons.
FY-brus roots
A root system consisting of many thin roots of similar size spreading horizontally, rather than one dominant taproot.
FIG-yur
The decorative pattern visible in wood grain caused by growth irregularities, knots, or special cutting techniques.
FOL-ih-kul
A dry fruit that splits open along one side to release many seeds, like milkweed pods.
HAB-ih-tat
The natural home or environment where a plant or animal lives and grows.
HARD-wood
Timber from broadleaf (deciduous or evergreen) trees, typically denser and harder than softwood from conifers.
HART-wood
The dense, dark inner wood of a tree trunk that no longer transports water but provides structural support.
im-PAIR-ih-PIN-ate
A pinnately compound leaf with an odd number of leaflets, having a single terminal (end) leaflet at the tip.
in-flor-ESS-ens
The arrangement of flowers on a plant, including how they are grouped and positioned.
in-VAY-siv SPEE-sheez
A non-native species that spreads aggressively and causes harm to native ecosystems.
LAN-see-oh-layt
Lance-shaped or spear-shaped, with leaves widest near the base and tapering to a long point.
LAY-teks
A milky or colored sap that oozes from cut stems, leaves, or bark of certain trees.
LEG-yoom
A fruit type that splits open along two seams, characteristic of the pea and bean family.
LEN-tih-sel
Small pores or spots on bark that allow gases to pass in and out of the tree.
A long-stemmed, woody climbing plant that roots in the soil and uses trees to reach the forest canopy for sunlight.
LOHBD
A leaf with deep indentations that create distinct rounded or pointed sections, like fingers or parts of a jigsaw puzzle, but where the divisions don't reach all the way to the midrib.
LUM-ber GRAYD
A classification system that rates wood quality based on appearance defects like knots, cracks, and grain irregularities.
NAY-tiv
A species that occurs naturally in a region without human introduction.
NYE-troh-jen fix-AY-shun
The process where certain trees convert nitrogen from air into a form plants can use.
NODE
The point on a stem where one or more leaves, branches, or flowers are attached.
OB-long
A leaf shape that is longer than wide with nearly parallel sides, like a rectangle with rounded ends.
oh-BOH-vayt
An inverted egg-shaped leaf that is widest above the middle, tapering toward the base. Egg-shaped upside down.
ob-TOOS / ob-TYOOS
A leaf apex (tip) that is blunt or rounded, forming an angle greater than 90 degrees.
OLD-grohth FOR-est
A mature forest that has developed over centuries without major human disturbance.
OP-uh-zit
A leaf arrangement where two leaves are attached at the same node, directly across from each other.
OH-vayt
Egg-shaped, with leaves widest below the middle and tapering toward the tip, like an upside-down egg.
PAL-mate
A leaf shape where leaflets radiate from a single point, like fingers on a hand.
A branched flower cluster where the main stem has smaller branches, each bearing flowers along their length.
PAIR-ih-PIN-ate
A pinnately compound leaf with an even number of leaflets (no terminal leaflet), arranged in pairs along the rachis.
PEH-tuhl
The colorful, modified leaf of a flower that attracts pollinators.
PET-ee-ohl
The stalk that connects a leaf blade to the stem or branch.
foh-toh-SIN-thuh-sis
The process by which trees use sunlight to convert carbon dioxide and water into sugar and oxygen.
PIN-ate
A leaf arrangement where small leaflets are arranged on both sides of a central stem, like a feather.
pie-oh-NEER SPEE-sheez
Fast-growing trees that are first to colonize disturbed or cleared land, preparing the way for other species.
PIS-til
The female reproductive part of a flower where seeds develop.
pah-lih-NAY-shun
The transfer of pollen from male reproductive organs (anthers) to female reproductive organs (stigma) in flowering plants, enabling fertilization and seed production.
prop-uh-GAY-shun
The process of creating new plants from existing ones, either sexually (from seeds) or asexually (from cuttings, grafts, or other vegetative parts).
pyoo-BESS-ent
Covered with short, soft hairs, giving a fuzzy or velvety texture to leaves, stems, or other plant parts.
RAY-kiss
The main central stem or axis of a compound leaf or flower cluster to which leaflets or flowers are attached.
ree-for-est-AY-shun
The process of replanting trees in areas where forests have been cut down or destroyed.
rih-PAIR-ee-an
Relating to or located on the banks of a river, stream, or other waterway.
sah-MAIR-ah
A winged seed or fruit that spins like a helicopter as it falls, helping the tree spread its seeds farther.
SAP-wood
The outer, living wood of a tree trunk that transports water and nutrients from roots to leaves.
SEED-ling
A young plant grown from seed, typically from germination until it develops true leaves and becomes more established (usually first 1-2 years).
SEE-puhl
The outer protective leaf-like structure of a flower bud that protects developing petals and reproductive organs.
seh-RAY-ted
Leaf edges with sharp teeth like a saw blade.
shayd TAWL-er-unss
The ability of a plant to survive and grow in low-light conditions under the forest canopy or in shaded environments.
SIM-pul LEEF
A leaf with a single, undivided blade attached to the stem by a petiole.
Leaves arranged in a spiral pattern around the stem, with each leaf at a different angle from the one below it, creating a helical or corkscrew pattern when viewed from above.
STAY-men
The male reproductive part of a flower that produces pollen.
STIP-yool
A small leaf-like appendage at the base of a leaf stalk, often found in pairs.
suk-SESH-un
The predictable process of plant community change over time, from bare ground to mature forest.
sim-by-OH-sis
A close, long-term biological relationship between two different species that live together, which can benefit both, one, or neither organism.
WAH-ter-shed
An area of land where all water drains to a common outlet, such as a river, lake, or ocean.
WURL-ed or HOR-eld
A leaf arrangement where three or more leaves arise from the same point on the stem, radiating outward like spokes on a wheel.
WOOD GRAYN
The directional pattern of wood fibers, visible as lines running through cut wood.