TREES
NEW YORK RESOURCES
- Achene.
- A small, dry, 1-celled, 1-seeded,
indehiscent fruit, the seed attached to the wall of the fruit
at one place. Example: London Plane.
- Acorn.
- A type of dry fruit composed of
a nut with a cap of fused bracts. Example: Oak.
- Alternate.
- Leaves one at a node, borne singly.
Compare "opposite".
- Axil.
- The place where the leaf stalk
(petiole) meets the stem. A dormant bud is often located in this
place.
B&B.
Abbreviation for "ball and burlap".
Ball and
burlap. Method
of preparing tree for transplanting. A ball of soil is left around
the roots when it is dug up. The soil and roots are wrapped in burlap
or plastic to hold it together and retain moisture. Abbreviated
"B&B".
Bare root.
Another method for transplanting. Dormant trees are dug, roots washed
and trimmed, and kept moist until replanted.
Bract.
A modified leaf situated near a flower or inflorescence.
Branch Bark Collar. The ring
of tissue at the place where a branch is attached to the trunk.
Broad leaved. A tree with
broad leaves rather than needle-like leaves. Examples: Maple, Oak,
Elm.
Bud. The rudimentary stage
of development of a branch, leaf, or flower.
Caliper. The diameter of
a tree's trunk, as measured by nurseries, at 6 inches above the
planting line.
Callus. Scar tissue formed
around cut wounds, eventually covering them. Formation of callus
is greatly aided by a smoothly finished pruning cut.
Catkin (Ament). A tassel-like
pendulous inflorescence bearing many unisexual flowers. Oak, Birch,
Willow, and Poplar are catkin-bearing.
Columnar. Describes a narrow
upright tree form. See fastigiate.
Compaction. Used in reference
to soil. Soil becomes hardened and compressed thereby making it
difficult for roots to penetrate the soil. Air chambers in between
soil particles are also greatly reduced or are nonexistent, making
drainage and gas exchange from roots poor.
Compound. A leaf that is
composed of two or more leaflets, arranged in a pinnate or palmate
pattern. Compare "simple".
Conifer. A deciduous or evergreen
tree bearing cones rather than true flowers. Examples: Pine, Spruce,
Larch, Fir. Foliage is needle-like.
Deciduous. A tree which drops
its foliage at the end of the growing season and develops new foliage
the next spring. Not synonymous with broadleaved tree - some
conifers (examples: Larch, Dawn Redwood, Bald Cypress) drop their
needles each fall.
Dehiscent. splitting open;
method of dispersing contents usually of anthers or seed pods by
splitting open along defined slits.
Drupe. A type of fruit that
has a fleshy exterior with a large pit inside (examples, Japanese
Zelkova as well as Cherry, Peach, Plum, and Apricot).
Entire. Refers to a type
of leaf margin or edge, where the edge is smooth, with no teeth
or lobes.
Evergreen. A tree which retains
its foliage throughout the year. Not synonymous with conifer - some
broadleaved trees (examples: American Holly, Southern Magnolia,
Live Oak) are evergreen.
Exfoliating. Bark that peels
off in thin layers. Example; London Plane.
Flush. Flat against.
Fastigiate. A tall, narrow
tree form with a strong central leader and branch attachments at
acute angles.
Girdling. The cutting, removing,
or clamping of bark completely around a branch or the trunk of a
tree. Can kill the branch or the entire tree.
Glabrous. Devoid of hairs;
smooth.
Grafting. A method of inserting
a shoot or bud taken from one plant into the stem or branch of another
so that the shoot or bud grows and becomes a permanent part of the
other plant.
Guy wire. A wire used with
support stakes to help support a newly planted tree.
Hardpan. Describes a soil
condition of extreme compaction; compaction in layers.
Humus. Decomposed organic
matter. When added to any soil, humus increases the soil water-and
nutrient-holding capacity, porosity, and tilth (particle structure).
Indehiscent. Not opening
by definite lines or pores. Compare "dehiscent".
Inflorescence. The flowering
part of a plant; specifically, the arrangement of a flower cluster.
Examples: catkin, spike, raceme.
Leader. The central stem
or trunk that is longer and more vigorous than the side branches
or lateral stems.
Leaf. A plant organ whose
function in general is to conduct photosynthesis. Usually composed
of a stalk (petiole) and a broad portion (blade). In general, a
leaf has a bud at its base. Compare "leaflet".
Leaflet. The leaf-like division
of a compound leaf. Unlike a leaf, a leaflet does not have a bud
at its point of attachment (axil).
Legume. The characteristic
fruit of the Leguminosae family consisting of a long pod containing
large seeds lined up one by one. Examples: Honeylocust, Chinese
Scholar Tree.
Lenticel. Small corky-celled
structures on the surface of twigs and branches, and/or trunk of
some species, whose function is to allow the transport of gases
to and from the inner tissues.
Lobe. A segment of the blade
of a leaf. Example: The leaf of a Norway Maple is palmately-lobed.
Compare "sinus".
Loment. A leguminous fruit
that is characterized by narrow constrictions in the spaces between
the seeds. Example: The fruit of the Chinese Scholar Tree.
Margin. The edge of a leaf.
Monoculture. A population
of trees comprised mostly of one species or variety.
Mulch. Any material laid
on the soil surface to conserve soil moisture, moderate temperature
and/or aid in weed control. Wood chips, bark chips, and shredded
leaves are examples of organic mulches.
Node. The place on a stem
where leaves or branches originate.
Opposite. Leaves two at a
node and positioned across the stem from each other. Compare "alternate".
Palmate. A type of
leaf whose lobes or segments attach to the stalk (petiole) at one
point. Examples: Horsechestnut, Maple. Compare "pinnate".
Panicle. A type of compound
inflorescence where the flowers are attached to a multi-branched
stem and the youngest flowers are at the apex or center.
Petiole. The stalk of a leaf
blade or compound leaf. It can range from very long to completely
absent. A petiolule is the stalk of a leaflet.
Pinnate. A type of
compound leaf with leaflets on two opposites sides of an elongated
rachis. Examples: Ash, Chinese Scholar Tree.
Pome. A multi-celled,
multi-seeded, fleshy, indehiscent fruit. Examples: Callery Pear,
Apple.
Pubescent. Covered with hairs;
hairy.
Raceme. An inflorescence
where the flowers are attached to an elongated rachis and the youngest
flowers are at the apex.
Rachis. The central elongated
axis of an inflorescence or compound leaf.
Samara. A dry fruit composed
of a seed with a papery wing attached. Examples: Maple, Ash,
Elm.
Serrate. A type of leaf margin
which has sharp teeth that are angled forward towards the apex of
the leaf blade. Compare "entire".
Scion. The bud or shoot which
will become the top of a grafted plant.
Simple. A type of leaf which
is comprised of only one part and not completely divided into separate
segments. Compare "compound".
Sinus. The depression or
indentation between two adjoining lobes. Compare "lobe".
Stock. The root, trunk, or
branch base used for grafting.
Stub cut. Also called a 3-part
cut. Pruning method used to remove a limb without damaging the bark
on trunk below the limb being removed.
Sucker. A shoot or stem that
originates from the roots.
Tree wound dressing. A petroleum-based
product used to cover freshly cut wood to inhibit decay or insect
infestation. Current research suggests that the chemicals in these
products may inhibit callus formation and therefore slow the closing
of the wound. Its use is not recommended on most small wounds.
Umbel. A convex or flat-topped
inflorescence where the flowers are attached at one point and the
youngest flowers are in the center.
Watersprout. Vigorous shoot,
originating above the ground, from the trunk or main branches.
Weedy. The condition where
a plant produces abundant seeds which germinate freely in places
where they are unwanted.
See also, the National
Arborist Pruning Standards Terminology section.
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