• ALLOPATRY have mutually exclusive geographical distributions, see sympatry.
• ALPINE plants which are adapted to mountainous environments with compact, dwarf habit.
• ANNUAL a plant which germinates, grows, reproduces and dies in one season.
  
• ANTAGONISM the inhibitory action of one species on another.

B

• BIENNIAL a plant which germinates and grows one season, and then flowers and dies the next year
• BIOME characteristic group of species whose composition is controlled by climate and distributed over a wide area e.g. desert, tundra ...
• BLANCHING excluding light to prevent chlorophyll formation. e.g celery, leeks, chicory..., improves palatability.
• BOTANY .the classification and study of what makes a plant belong to a particular species, genus, family etc...
• BRACT a modified leaf at the base of a flower stalk, e.g. poinsettia.
• BROADLEAVED any plant which has large flat leaves, particularly used when refering to tree species.
• BUDDING a form of grafting chiefly used for roses and fruits.
• BULB underground storage organ consisting of densely packed fleshy leaves.

• CARBONIFEROUS period from 270 to 220 million years ago.
• CHLOROSIS loss of chlorophyll in a leaf causing it to go yellow.
• COMMUNITYan assemblage of species, organisms or populations which occur together in a place.
  
• CONIFEROUS a cone-bearing plant e.g. pine, spruce...
• CORM swollen stem bulb-like underground storage organ (at least 1 year persistence).
• COTYLEDON seed leaf. Major division for plants MONO-(1 leaf, e.g. grasses) or DI-(2 leaves).
• CRETACEOUS era from 140 to 170 million years ago.
• CULTIVAR a cultivated form via e.g. hybridization of a plant (usually with a vernacular name e.g. 'Nelly moser) whereas VARIETY is a naturally occurring form (e.g. ...atropurpurea).

• DEAD HEADING remove dying flowers to prevent seed set and encourage more flowering.
• DECIDUOUS plants which lose their leaves in response to seasonal change (autumn/fall).
• DEVONIAN era from 400 to 360 million years ago.
• DORMANCY extended period of suspended or greatly reduced activity.

E

• ECOLOGY the study of the interactions between organisms, and with their physical environment.
• ECOSYSTEM an area within which the species, communities, population and physical environment are considered.
• ERICACEOUS for plants of Ericaceae family and other lime haters - need acid soil (e.g. Rhododendrons).
• EUTROPHIC rich in plant nutrients and hence usually highly productive.

• FACILITATION the influence of early species in a community succession in facilitating establishment of later species by changing the environment, or a positive effect of one species on another through environment alteration.
• FASTIGATE applied to trees and shrubs of erect habit.
• FLORA total set of plant species of a particular area.
• FORCING hasten plant to grow, flower or fruit earlier than naturally. e.g. daffodils in dark with heat.

• GENUS classification of organisms, one level higher than species, e.g Hedera helix (common ivy) Hedera is the genus, helix defines the species.
• GEOPHYTE a plant whose resting buds (for shoot growth) are underground.
• GLAUCOUS of a smoky blue colour.
• GRAFTING attaching tissue of one plant cultivar to tissue of another to make a new plant with charactersistics of both.
• GROWING POINT leading part of a shoot or branch from which a tree or shrub grows.

• HABITAT environment in which an organism lives.
• HALOPHYTE plant which thrives on salt contaminated soil, sea shore species.
• HALF HARDY able to survive and grow well in a particular climate with some protection from the extremes of the particular climate.
• HARDY able to survive and grow well in a particular climate.
• HEMICRYPTOPHYTE plant whose buds are at ground level.
• HEMIPARASITIE a partial parasite, plant which parasitises roots of another species, but also photosythesizes, e.g Rhinanthus.
• HORTICULTURE culture, husbandry and study of plant production of all plant crops, except major cereals
• HYDROPONICS growing plants without soil using dilute nutrient solutions.

I

• INFLORESCENCE the flowering structures of plants.
• INORGANIC any chemical not containing Carbon. Containing Carbon = Organic.
• INTRASPECIFIC within a species.
• INTERSPECIFIC between species.
• IRRIGATION artificial application of water to stimulate growth.

• JOHN INNES COMPOSTS formulated composts No.1 contains least and No.3 the most fertiliser added.

• KEY-FACTOR ANALYSIS statistical treatment of population data designed to identify factors most responsible for change in population size.

• LATERAL SHOOT shoot branching off the leader or main branch.
• LIGNIN complex carbohydrates deposited in cell walls of plants, esp. in wood.

M

• MAIDEN TREE fruit tree in 1st year after grafting and budding (a single unbranched stem).
• MESOTROPHIC environment with a moderate supply of plant nutrients.
• MIOCENE era from 25 to 5 million years ago.
• MORPHOLOGY the study of form and structure of an organism.
• MUTUALISM a type of symbiosis where both partners benefit from the partnership.
• MYCORRHIZA type of fungi which make a symbiotic association with plant roots. Wide spread occurrence.

N

• NATURAL SELECTION force that causes some individuals in a population to contribute more descendants (genes) than others to subsequent generations and so leads to changes in the genetic composition of populations over time (evolution).
• NICHE the particular environment within which a species lives, including climate, physical factors and other species.
• NITRIFICATION conversion of nitrites to nitrates usually by microorganisms.
• NODE the joint on stem from which leaves or axillary buds arise.
• NUTRIENT chemical elements, ions or molecules required for plant growth. Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium are the 3 major nutrients.

O

• OLIGOTROPHIC environment providing inadequate or very low plant nutrition.
• ONTOGENETIC occuring during the course of an organism's development.
• OSMOSIS diffusion of water across a semi-permeable membrane.

P

• PANICLE compound flower cluster of several branches, each with numerous stalked flowers. e.g. Lilac.
• PARASITE an organism that for all or part of its life derives food from another living organism (host), and is non beneficial to the host.
• PATHOLOGY study of disease or dysfunction.
• PERENNIAL an individual which lives and grows for more than 2 growing seasons.
• PHLOEM principal food/nutrient conducting tissues of vascular plants.
• PHOTOSYNTHESIS in green plants, produces carbohydrate for plant function and structure from co2, light and water, releasing oxygen.
• PHYSIOLOGY study of the internal functions and activities of organisms.
• PLEISTOCENE era from 2 million years ago to 10,000 years ago.
• PLIOCENE era from 5 to 2 million years ago.
• POLLARDING severe pruning of tree, only trunk and stubs of main branches remain.
• POPULATION the number of individuals in a particular grouping i.e. in an area, species, habitat ...
• PROPAGATION the act of producing more offspring: vegetative e.g. cuttings; reproductive e.g. seeds.
• PRUNING the act of shaping a plant by cutting shoots or roots for asthetic, practical, growth or health reasons.

Q

• QUADRAT an area, usually square, used to mark out and sample vegetation for analysis of the plant community.

R

• RAMET an offshoot of a plant reproducing via stolons, or other vegetative means.
• RESPIRATION processes used by organisms to generate metabolically useable energy.
• RESTORATION ECOLOGY science of deliberate colonization and revegetation of derelict/damaged land.
• RHIZOME thick horizontal stem, usually underground.
• RHIZOSPHERE area of soil immediately surrounding and influenced by plant roots.
• RUDERAL a plant of waste places, assoc. with disturbance (human). Not same as a weed.

• SAPROPHYTE any organism growing on a dead organism.
• SAVANNA sub-tropical or tropical dry grassland with drought resistant vegetation.
• SEED BANK a natural store of viable dormant seeds in the soil.
• SELECTION PRESSURE the effect of the environment causing natural selection to act on an individual, species, habitat etc...
• SELF-THINNING the natural removal of weak individuals in plants, especially seedlings.
• SILURIAN geological era 438 to 408 million years ago.
• SPECIES a classification of like organisms which reproduce with each other to form a stable population.
• SPECIES RICHNESS equivalent to biodiversity. The number of species present in an area.
• STEPPE dry grassland covering large areas of asia, especially in Russia, Mongolia ...
• STOLONS creeping stem that produces new plants at its nodes e.g. strawberry, some grasses, 'spider plants'.
• SUCCESSION sequence of species through time in an area caused by changing environment and effects of other species e.g. grassland changes to woodland.
• SUCCULENT plants with swollen water storing stems and leaves, adapted to dry conditions, e.g. cacti.
• SYMBIOSIS different species which live physically/chemically together were one or both gains from the relationship.
• SYMPATRY species inhabiting the same or overlapping geographic area see also allopatry .
• SYSTEMIC throughout/within the body/plant.

• TENDER a plant which requires protection from extremes of climate to be grown successfully, particularly cold conditions.
• TECTONIC PLATE sections of the earth's crust which move over geological time - continental drift.
• TERTIARY geological era approx. 65 to 2 million years ago.
• THEROPHYTE equivalent to an annual, germinates, grows, sets seed and dies in one growing season .
• TILLER a shoot produced by grasses and sedges at or near ground level.
• TOPOGRAPHY representation of physical structure of an environment.
• TRACE ELEMENTS: Iron, Manganese, Boron, Copper, Zinc etc... Very small amounts needed but essential for plant growth.
• TRANSGENIC organism with an artificially transferred gene from another species.
• TRANSPIRATION evaporation of water from plant surfaces.
• TRIASSIC geological era approx. 250 to 213 million years ago.
• TROPHIC LEVEL position in a food chain, dependent on the number of energy transfer steps to reach that level. producer(plant)1st trophic level > primary consumer(mouse) 2nd > secondary (kestrel) 3rd.
• TUBER swollen, underground stem/root that is a storage organ and lives more than a year e.g. potato.
• TUNDRA arctic circle biome, characterized by lichens, sedges, mosses and dwarf shrubs and trees.

U

• UMBEL flower cluster with stalked fowers arising from same point on plant stem, e.g. polyanthus.

• VACUOLE membrane containing fluid filled sac within cell cytoplasm.
• VASCULAR containing vessels for fluid transport and circulation - xylem and phloem.
• VEGETATION the plant population of an area.
• VEGETATIVE plant growth with no sexual reproduction.

• WEED an unwanted plant, usually competes with crops or wanted plants.
• WHORL circle of flowers, parts of flower, or leaves arising from one point.

• XERIC dry, adapted to dry conditions.
• XYLEM the main water conducting tissue in vascular plants, including mineral transport, food storage and support.

• ZONATION characteristic distributions of species along environmental gradients.
• ZYGOTE dilpoid cell resulting from fusion of male and female gametes.

• ATP adenosine triphosphate, molecule involved with energy transfer in living cells
• CAM crassulacean acid metabolism, one pathway for carbon dioxide assimilation by plants
• DNA deoxyribonucleic acid, the carrier of genetic information in cells
• DOE department of environment
• ESS evolutionary stable strategy, a strategy is used by the majority of a population, cannot be bettered by any other strategy, and will tend to become established by natural selection
• MAFF ministry of agriculture, fisheries and food
• MSY maximum sustainable yield - yield that can be repeatedly removed from a population without driving it to extinction
• NFT nutrient film technique (Hydroponics)
• NFU national farmers union
• NPP net primary productivity, measure of growth over an area, population, habitat.
• RGR relative growth rate, major plant growth measurement parameter.
• RNA ribonucleic acid, similar to DNA.
• USDA united states department of agriculture
• VAM vesicular arbuscular mycorrhiza