Page 23 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Corolla - The collective term for all of the petals on a single flower. The corolla is usually the showy, colorful
part of the flower.
Creeping habit - A plant that spreads horizontally along the ground and hangs down over features. For exam-
ple, strawberry plants and creeping thyme.
Crenate (leaf) - The leaf margin is softly rounded into numerous lobes. For example, ground ivy, stevia and
ragwort leaves.
Cuspidate (leaf) - The leaf tip suddenly tapers to a short, obvious point. For example, holly and cherry leaves.
Cyme - A multibranched inflorescence that has the oldest flower growing from the end of the stem or middle
of the inflorescence. The multiple branches are arranged alternately along the stem. For example, red maids,
onions, tomatoes, elderberry and yarrow flowers.

Deciduous - Any tree, shrub or vine that loses its leaves every autumn and re-shoots in spring in temperate
areas. For example, oak, birch, temperate fruit trees, and blackberry.
Dicot - All plants that emerge from their seed as a pair of leaves. All trees, shrubs, and herbs are dicots.
Drupe - A thin skinned fruit with a single, hard stone, nut or pit inside. For example, stone fruit such as peach-
es, cherries, olives, and mangos.
Drupelets - A cluster of small drupes, each with a single seed inside that forms a berry. For example, blackber-
ry, mulberry, and raspberry fruit.
Elliptic (leaf) - The leaf is shaped like a stretched football, being pointed at both ends with the broadest point
is in the middle. For example, beech and rhododendron leaves.
Emarginate (leaf) - The leaf tip is rounded on both sides of the central vein, forming an “m” shape or a notch
at the leaf tip. For example, European alder have slightly emarginated leaves, whereas gingko have heavily
emarginated leaves.
Entire (leaf) - The leaf margin is completely smooth and featureless. For example, basil and lilac leaves.
Epiphyte - A plant that grows on another larger plant but is not attached to it. It gathers nutrients from the air,
water and the debris that accumulates around it. For example, bromeliads, mosses, and orchids.
Filament - The long, thin stalks in the middle of the flower that are part of the male reproductive organs. At
the tip of the filament is the anther and pollen.
Indusium - The thin membrane that covers the spore producing sporangia on the underside of fern leaves.
These covers will be absent on older leaves.
Inflorescence - A general, collective term for all of the flowering parts, including the flowers, bracts, stalks
and stem. It may be multi-branched and include multiple flowers or florets clustered together. For example,
lilac, lavender, and dill flowers.

Lacerate (leaf) - The leaf looks heavily lacerated or even ripped. For example, monstera and thistle leaves.
Lanceolate (leaf) - The leaf is shaped like a lance or spear point. It’s narrow and pointed at the tip, but broader
towards the base. For example, willow and eucalyptus leaves.

Lance-shaped - A general term to describe the shape of petals, leaves and other vegetative features that have
a pointed tip but are broader towards the base, like a spear point.
Leaflet and terminal leaflet - Multiple, smaller leaflets make up a compound or pinnate leaf that are arranged
on a single stem or rachis. A terminal leaflet is at the growing tip when there is an odd number of leaflets ar-
ranged along the stem. For example, elderberry and pin oak leaves have a terminal leaflet.
Lenticels - Pores found in the bark and roots of some trees and shrubs which allow for gas exchange. For ex-
ample, wild cherry, alder, and birch bark as well as potato skins.

Linear (leaf) - The shape of the leaf is long and narrow, and doesn’t broaden in the middle. For example, Easter
lily, grasses, flax, and yucca leaves.
Lithophyte - A plant that grows directly on or into the surface of bare rock or stone and gathers nutrients from
the air and water. For example, lichens and Paphiopedilum orchids.
Lobe - A term to describe various plant parts (leaves, petals, sepals etc.) that have rounded tips or softly pro-
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