Pachycauls

 Pachycauls are plants with a disproportionately thick trunk for their height, and few branches. In contrast, trees with thin twigs such as Oak (Quercus), Maple (Acer) and Eucalyptus are called leptocauls while those with moderately thick twigs like Plumeria are called mesocauls. Pachycauly can be the product of exceptional primary growth (as with palms and cycads) or disproportionate secondary growth as with the Baobabs (Adansonia). The word is derived from the Greek pachy- meaning thick or stout, and Latin caulis meaning the stem.

 

ovate

 

ovate

Shaped like a section through the "long axis" of an egg and attached by the wider end.

 

bract

In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, especially one associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves. They may be smaller, larger, or of a different color, shape, or texture. Typically, they also look different from the parts of the flower, such as the petals or sepals. 

 

Marcescence

 Marcescence is the withering and persistence of plant organs that normally are shed, and is a term most commonly applied to plant leaves.

 

rosette

 In botany, a rosette is a circular arrangement of leaves or of structures resembling leaves. 

 

Ethnobotany

 Ethnobotany is the study of a region's plants and their practical uses through the traditional knowledge of a local culture and people. An ethnobotanist thus strives to document the local customs involving the practical uses of local flora for many aspects of life, such as plants as medicines, foods, intoxicants and clothing.

Intellectual property rights and benefit-sharing arrangements are important issues in ethnobotany.

 

Variegation

Variegation is the appearance of differently coloured zones in the leaves, and sometimes the stems, of plants. This may be due to a number of causes. Some variegation is attractive and ornamental and gardeners tend to preserve these. The term is also sometimes used to refer to colour zonation in flowers and minerals.