Glossary

The definitions below refer to how words are used on this website.

annual
a plant that completes its life cycle within one year

awn
a bristle-like projection, common on grass seedheads

biodiversity
refers to the range of different plant and/or animal species in an area

bipinnate
compound leaves, where the leaflets attached to the central stem bear leaflets themselves, as in many ferns, eg tree ferns

catkin
the flower (usually of one sex) of willows, poplars and some other species

compound
of a leaf: divided into smaller units (called leaflets) on the same stalk

corm
a swollen bulb-like underground stem from which a new plant grows

crown
1.  (noun) the point where stems join roots
2.  (verb) a method for removing certain plants

drey
the nest of the Ringtail possum

ecosystem
a community of living organisms interacting with each other and their environment

exotic
of plants and animals: not native to Australia, introduced

herbaceous
a plant that does not form woody tissue

hybrid
a plant that has parents of different species

layer
to grow roots where stems touch the ground

leaflet
one of the separate segments of a compound leaf

lobe
a roundish division of a leaf

margin
the edge of a leaf or leaflet

monoculture
an area where only one species of plant grows

node
the point on the stem from which the leaf or leaves grow

perennial
a plant which lives for three or more years

rhizome
an underground stem which grows horizontally, producing roots and shoots

sapwood
the living tissue of a woody plant, lying between the bark and the heartwood

spikelet
the name given to a grass seedhead

stolon
a stem which grows along the ground, producing roots and shoots; a runner

sucker
to send up shoots from roots

tuber
a swollen underground stem or root from which a new plant grows

urban runoff
polluted water which runs off the hard surfaces of urban (including industrial) areas into bushland. It carries litter, oils, chemicals, organic materials, fertilisers, pesticides, sewage, soil particles, animal faeces and weed seeds.

vegetative reproduction
vegetative spread
a plant spreading or reproducing from its own vegetative parts, such as rhizomes, stolons, tubers; by suckering, layering etc; not from seeds