| Cuneate |
Wedge-shaped, with the petiole attaching to the thin end of the wedge. Truncate tapers into the petiole in a more rounded shape. |
| Cupuliform |
Cup-shaped |
| Cuspidate |
A leaf tapering to a sharp, firm point, i.e. with a hair-like cusp. A cusp is a pointed end where two curves meet. |
| Cuticle |
The thin outer 'skin', or waxy layer, on stems, leaves and fruits. |
| Cyathium |
An involucre that is cup-shaped, with the flowers inside and petal-like bracts that surround the cyathium. The combined structure resembles a flower. Cyathiums are common in the family Euphorbiaceae. |
| Cyathophyll |
In the Euphorbia family, a cyathophyll is the bract-like structure on which the involucre sits, usually but not always occurring in twos. They may sometimes be brightly coloured and confused with petals. |
| Cyme |
A flower cluster with a central stem bearing a single terminal flower that develops first, the other flowers in the cluster developing as terminal buds on lateral stems. Compare with raceme. |
| Cymose |
Having flower clusters each with a central stem bearing a single terminal flower that develops first, the other flowers in the cluster developing as terminal buds of lateral stems. |
| Cytolith |
A leaf-surface structure within large surface cells, that comprise longitudinally oriented cellulose microfibrils impregnated with calcium carbonate. Cytoliths are characteristic of Acanthaceae and Urticaceae families, among others. |
| Deciduous |
Shedding all leaves on a season. |
| Decumbent |
Lying on the ground, but with the extremity turning upright. |
| Decurrent |
Extending down the stem, especially of a leaf, having the base of the blade extending down the stem as two wings. |
| Decussate |
An opposite pattern of leaves with successive pairs at right angles to each other. The term describes a crossing, from the Roman numeral for ten, an uppercase 'X, and from the Latin decem (ten), and as (as). |
| Dehiscent |
Dry fruits that split along seams to release seeds. |
| Deltiod |
A deltoid leaf is triangular in shape. |
| Dentate |
Sharp, outward pointing teeth. |
| Denticulate |
Finely toothed. |
| Diadelphous |
Bundled into two groups, usually referring to stamens. Such structures may occur in the Fabaceae and Legumiosae families, but not exclusively. (Monadelphous) |
| Dichasium |
The peduncle of terminal flower extends from a pair of bracteoles from which the lateral flower stalk/s also extend. |
| Dichogamy |
Sexes not developing at the same time. |
| Dicotyledon |
A flowering plant with embryos having two cotyledons, or 'seed leaves', in their seeds. |
| Digitate |
A compound leaf with four or more leaflets, each of which arise from the same point and radiate outward like the fingers of an open hand. The term palmate is also used. A digitate leaf is not pinnate. |
| Dimorphic |
With two different forms or shapes. |
| Dioecious |
Separate plants have either male or female flowers, but not both. Refer monoecious. |
| Diploid |
Refers to the presence of two complete sets of chromosomes in an organism's cells, with each parent having contributed one chromosome to each pair. |
| Disc |
A flat, circular plate-like structure growing from the receptacle of a flower, and lying between the stamens and the pistil. |
| Distal |
Furthest from the point of attachment. |
| Distichous |
In two opposite or sub-opposite rows on either side of the stem |
| Divaricate |
To spread apart, or diverge; ie. branching or spreading at wide angles from a point or axis, producing an interlaced shrub or small tree (eg. Albizia anthelmintica). |
| Dolabriform |
Hatchet-shaped, or shaped like an axe, with a narrow cylindrical base widening abruptly into a head that is larger on the one side than on the other. |
