Page 26 - The Forager’s Guide to Wild Foods

Sheathed (leaf attachment) - The leaf attaches via a tubular sheath that wraps around the stem. For example,
grasses and bamboo.

Sorus (plural; Sori) - A cluster of tiny spore-producing sporangia that grow on the underside of fern leaves.
Spadix (plural; Spadices) - An inflorescence that is held vertically on a modified, fleshy spike and densely
packed with minute flowers. The spadix is surrounded by the spathe. For example, calla lily and Anthurium
species flowers.
Spathe - A modified, enlarged bract that resembles a sheath-like leaf or giant petal to attract pollinators to the
spadix. For example, the white fleshy part of calla lily flowers is the spathe. Other arum species have different
colored spathes.
Spatulate (leaf) - The leaf is shaped like a spatula, spoon or inverted teardrop, being broad and rounded at the
tip and curving inwards towards the base. For example, water oak and spinach leaves.
Spike (flower arrangement) - Multiple flowers or florets are arranged vertically along the stem. The flowers
don’t have pedicels (flower stalks), so are attached directly to the stem. For example, calla lily, sedges, and
grasses such as barley and wheat.
Sporangia - The reproductive organs of a fern. Sporangia are small brown sacks that produce the spores.
Spore - Asexual reproduction in ferns is primarily through microscopic, wind dispersed spores that don’t re-
quire input from other reproductive cells or organs.
Stamen - The filament, anther and pollen all form the stamen, which is the entire male reproductive organ of
the flower.
Staminate (flowers) - Flowers that only contain the male reproductive organs (the opposite of pistillate flow-
ers). For example, ginkgo, willow, holly, oak, cottonwood, and wild grape flowers.
Stem (main stem vs lateral stem) - The main stem is the thickest and often the tallest stem on the plant. The
stems that branch off the main stem are called lateral stems.

Stigma - Part of the female reproductive organ that catches the pollen. The stigma is usually found in the cen-
ter of the flower, at the top of a prominent style. It can be sticky, hairy or cup shaped to catch the male pollen.
The pollen is sent down the pollen tube to the ovaries.
Stipe - An elongated, modified petiole (leaf stalk) that supports flowers, fruits or other structures in certain
plants such as orchids and ferns.
Stipulate - Leaves that have stipules are called stipulate. Stipules can also grow into tendrils, spikes, thorns,
scales, sheaths or leaves.
Stipule - A small pair of modified leaves that form at the base of the petiole, on the opposite side of the axil.
For example, the base of hibiscus, gardenia, and rose’s compound leaves as well as the thorns of mesquite trees
have stipules.
Stolon - A type of tendril that spreads horizontally along the surface of the ground and can produce new plants
as a means of asexual reproduction. For example, strawberry and spider plants spread via stolons.
Style - The long, prominent female reproductive organ that is usually found in the middle of the flower. It con-
nects the stigma to the ovaries when the pollen tube develops inside the style.
Tepal - When it is not possible to tell the difference between the sepals and the petals, the term tepal is used,
especially when the sepals and petals are fused together. For example, magnolia, lily, and hellebore flowers.
Toothed leaf - The leaf margins have teeth that project outwards instead of towards the tip of the leaf. For
example, thimbleberry, birch, chestnut, and elm leaves.
Truncate - The leaf or petal is squared at the tip or base. For example, the base of common green briar, mile-a-
minute vine, and tulip tree leaves.
Tuber vs mother tuber - A tuber is an annual, underground energy storage system for the roots, rhizomes or
stolons. It uses the stored energy to reshoot every season and is also a means of asexual reproduction. A moth-
er tuber is the original tuber that subsequent, younger ones have grown from. The mother tuber is usually
darker in color. For example, potatoes, yams, cassava, daylily, and dahlia root systems.
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