Encyclopedian Dictionary: August 2013

Ginkgo biloba

Pronunciation key ( giŋ′kō ) ( jiŋ′kō ) ging•ko [ giŋ′kō ] n. [pl. GINGKOES (-kōz)], a ginkgo. gink•go n. [pl. GINKGOES (-kōz)] [Japan. ginko, gingko < Chinese yin-hing, silver apricot]. A large tree with fan-shaped leaves and edible yellow fruit native to northern China and Japan. maid•en•hair [mād′ʼn-hâr′] n. Any of a group of ferns with delicate fronds and slender stalks:...

Pectinate

Pronunciation key ( pek′tə-nāt′ ) pec•ti•nate Pectinate leaf adj. [L. pectinatus pp. of pectinare to comb < pecten a comb]. Having toothlike projections like those on a comb. References and Further Reading Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College Edition) ©1955 Firefly Encyclopedia of Trees, Edited by Steve Cafferty M.Sc. ©2005 Zoology Quest: Chart of Leaf S...

Ovate

Pronunciation key ( ō′vāt ) o•vate Ovate leaf adj. [L. ovatus < ovum, an egg]. Egg-shaped. In botany, possessing the shape of a longitudinal section of an egg. having a shape as such with the broadest end at the base as do some leaves. Ovate leaf References and Further Reading Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College Edition) ©1955 Firefly Encyclopedia of...

Lanceolate

Pronunciation key ( lan′si-ə-lit ) ( lan′si-ə-lāt′ ) lan•ce•o•late Lanceolate leaf adj. [LL. lanceolatus < lanceola, dim.; see LANCE (spear)]. Tapering, narrow like the head of a lance: said of some leaves. Lanceolate leaf References and Further Reading Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College Edition) ©1955 Firefly Encyclopedia of Trees, Edited by Steve Cafferty...

Deltoid ( and Deltate )

Pronunciation key ( del′toid ) del•toid adj. Deltate [Gr. deltoeidēs < delta (Δ) + eidos, form ]. Triangular, shaped like a delta. Designates or of triangular shoulder muscle, responsible for raising the arm away from the side. n. This muscle. Deltoid References and Further Reading Firefly Encyclopedia of Trees, Edited by Steve Cafferty M.Sc. ©2005 Webster's New World Dictionary...

Petiolate

Pronunciation key ( pet′i-ə-lāt′ ) pet•i•o•late [†] adj. [Mod. L. petiolus; L., a little foot, little leg, stalk, dim < pes, pedis a foot; petiole + ate]. Petiolate in botany and zoology, having a stalk or stalk-like properties. † both Funk & Wagnalls and Websters Dictionaries state this term is spelled Petiolate, while Firefly Encyclopedia of Trees states the spelling...

Decurrent

Pronunciation key ( di-kũr′ənt ) de•cur•rent adj. Decurrent [L. decurrens ppr. of decurrere < de-, down + currere, to run]. in botany, extending down along the stem, as the base of some leaves. References and Further Reading Firefly Encyclopedia of Trees, Edited by Steve Cafferty M.Sc. ©2005 Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College Edition) ©1955 Zoology Quest:...

Runcinate

Pronunciation key ( run′si-nit ) ( run′si-nāt′ ) run•ci•nate adj. Runcinate [L. runcinatus pp. of runcinare, to plane off < runcina, a plane (formerly understood as "saw")]. irregular saw-toothed, with teeth or lobes curved backwards as in some leaves. References and Further Reading Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College Edition) ©1955 Firefly Encyclopedia...

Emarginate

Pronunciation key ( i-mär′jə-nit ) ( i-mär′jə-nāt′) e•mar•gi•nate Emarginate leaf adj. [L. emarginatus see E- and MARGINATE]. having a notched margin or tip, as with some leaves or wings. Emarginate leaf tip References and Further Reading Webster's New World Dictionary of the American Language (College Edition) ©1955 Firefly Encyclopedia of Trees, Edited by Steve Cafferty M.Sc. ©2005 Zoology...

Gasteromycetes

Gasteromycetes Gasteromycetes is an invalid term once commonly used for classification of fungi. The accepted term is now Basidiomycetes. Gasteromycetes included puffballs, earthstars, bird's nest fungi and stinkhorns. They differed from the pore and gill fungi in that all have a peridium over the spore-bearing surface. The peridium, usually several layers thick, ruptures and exposes the spores when they are ripe and fallen off the basidia. When spores are prepared for dispersal they may be scattered...

Hymenomycetes

Hymenomycetes Invalid classification (here). Current accepted name is basidiomycetes. The term was applied to a natural group classed in earlier systems as "true basidiomycetes". The hymenomycetes were a large, important and heterogeneous group. Their basic characteristic was that each exposes its hymenium (the fertile layer of basidia) before the spores have completed maturing. Hymenomycetes included the coral, tooth and leather, pore, and gill fungi. References and Further Reading A Golden...