Poisonous Plants of the Southern United States

pilose - covered with long soft hairs.

pinnate - with the leaflets arranged along a common axis (rachis), feather-like.

pistil - one or more fused carpels consisting of stigma, style (if present) and ovary.

pistillate - with pistils and without fertile stamens; female.

pubescent - covered with hairs, often soft and downy.

raceme - a simple, elongated inflorescence with stalk flowers.

rachis - an axis bearing leaflets.

recumbent - lying down. Usually used to indicate an animal that is down and unable to arise.

rhizome - usually elongate, horizontal, underground stem.

rhizomatous - producing or possessing rhizomes.

rootstock - subterranean stem; rhizomes.

scape - a naked flowering stem.

scapose - resembling a scape; stem essentially leafless.

sepal - a single unit of the calyx.

serrate - margin with teeth like a saw, teeth pointing toward the tip of the leaf.

simple - of one piece, not divided into leaflets.

sinuate - the margin wavy with regular strong indentations.

spike - an elongated, simple, inflorescence with sessile flowers.

spikelet - a secondary spike; a part of a compound inflorescence; the flower of grasses.

stamen - the pollen-bearing organ of a seed plant.

staminate - having stamens and no functional pistils; male.

stasis - a stoppage of the flow of blood or other body fluid in any part. In animals, this term often indicates a paralysis or abnormal slowing down of the gastrointestinal tract.

stellate - star-like, with radiating branches.

stipitate - borne on a stipe or short stalk, as stipitate glands.

tetanic spasm - a sudden, persistent, violent, involuntary contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles. The body becomes rigid, often with the head drawn backwards.

umbel - an inflorescence with pedicles or peduncles (rays), or both, arising from a common point.

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