A

alternating:

Of leaves, arranged singly at different levels of the stem. In this key, leaves alternating up the stem, arranged in a spiral up the stem, or scattered along the stems are all keyed as alternating.

annual:

A plant that grows from seed and flowers and dies down within a year.

anthers:

An anther is the part of a stamen that makes pollen.

apical:

At the top of a structure.

appressed:

Closely pressed to a surface

article:

With respect to Casuarina:  a section of the green narrow branchlets between the whorls of teeth.

articles:

With respect to Casuarina: the sections of the green narrow branchlets between the whorls of teeth.

awn:

A bristle -like structure.

awns:

Bristle-like structures e.g. of grass seeds

B

biennial:

A plant that grows from seed and flowers and dies in the second year.

bisexual:

Flowers with both male (stamens that produce pollen) and female parts (ovary (s) that produce seeds).

blade:

blades:

The broad portion of of leaf as distinct from the sheath or leaf stem.

bract:

A leaf-like structure or scale directly under a flower, flower head, or seed. Bracts may be soft, leathery, papery, or chaffy; and green, white, or other colours. White and coloured (but not green) bracts below flowers are keyed as petals in this key.  Leaf-like bracts are keyed as leaves.

bracteoles:

Small modified leaves on a flower stem. They may be close to or some distance below the flower.

bracts:

Leaf-like structures or scales directly under or on a flower, flower head, or seed. Bracts may be soft, leathery, papery, or chaffy; and green, white, or other colours. White and coloured bracts below flowers are keyed as petals in this key.

branchlet:

A small branch.

bristle:

A stiff hair at the end of or on the back of a grass seed.

bristly:

Covered in stiff hairs easily visible with the naked eye.

burr:

A spiny or prickly fruiting body.

C

calyces:

Plural of calyx, which consists of a number of sepals which may be separate or united.

calyx:

Consists of a number of sepals which may be separate or united.

cap:

A woody structure covering the top of the bud of a Eucalyptus flower which falls off when the flower opens.

claws:

A claw is a narrow, stalk-like structure forming the base of a petal, sepal, bract, stamen, etc.

cobwebby:

Covered with long hairs resembling a spider web.

compound:

Compound flower head - a flower head composed of a number of partial heads, each with bracts around it, arranged to form a larger head, itself surrounded by bracts.  Compound leaf - a leaf normally composed of at least two leaflets. Occasionally the lateral leaflets are suppressed, so that there is only one leaflet, but the join between the single leaflet and the leaf stem can be seen.

conduplicate:

Folded together lengthwise.

cone scales:

For the purposes of this key, a cone scale is a modified branchlet that covers one or more seeds of a Callitris

convolute:

Rolled up so that one margin is inside the roll and the other margin is on the outside.

cordate:

Shaped like the base of the playing card heart.

corm:

An underground swollen structure formed from the base of the stem, which stores food reserves.

corolla:

The petals of a flower. They may be free from each other or joined together.

D

decussate:

Leaves arranged in pairs, each pair at right angles to the pair above and/or below it.

digitate:

(Of grass and sedge seed groups) Arranged in an umbrella-like fashion at the top of a comon stalk.

dissected:

Leaves divided into narrow segments.

downy:

Covered with soft white hairs

E

entire:

Leaves with smooth edges which are not toothed, divided or lobed. Leaflets of compound leaves can have entire edges.

F

female flower:

A flower that produces seeds, but not pollen.

fertile:

A flower with reproductive structures that produce pollen and/or seeds. A fern frond that produces spores.

filaments:

The stalks of the stamens (that bear the pollen)

flat:

With respect to leaves in this key, the term 'flat' means leaves that are relatively thin and have definite edges, regardless of the actual cross-section. The width ranges from narrow to wide. Flat leaves can have smooth, toothed or lobed  edges, and/or the edges turned up or down.

floret:

A small flower within a head or spikelet.

florets:

Small flowers within a head or spikelet.

forb:

A non-woody plant that is not a grass.  Older plants sometimes become woody at the base.

fruit:

In this key, the term 'fruit' is used in a loose sense about the fleshy structure enclosing the seed(s).

fruiting body:

In this key, a general term for a structure of any texture (except fleshy) that encloses the seed(s).

fruting bodies:

In this key, a general term for structures of any texture (except fleshy) that enclose the seed(s).

G

gland:

A cavity or bubble that acts as a reservoir for secretions. It can be embedded to projecting.

glands:

A gland is a cavity or bubble that acts as a reservoir for secretions. It can be embedded to projecting.

glandular teeth:

Teeth ending in a gland.

glaucous:

Pale bluish green in colour, usually due to a thin waxy or powdery covering that is easily rubbed off.

H

head:

A flower composed of small flowers (florets) with short or no stems grouped together e.g. Acacia, daisy flower heads.

hyphae:

The fine filaments of the non-fruiting stage of a fungus, which together form the mycelium.

I

inflorescence:

A group of flowers on a stem of a plant. The stem may be single or branched.

K

keel:

A ridge like the keel of a boat.

L

leaflet:

The individual division of a compound leaf.  An obviously visible seam between leaflets and the common stem of the leaf.

ligule:

Stucture at the top of the sheat of the leaf and below the blade. Pull the blade away from the flower stem to see it. Needs at least a hand lens to see properly.

linear:

Leaves with a length:width ratio of more than 10:1 and parallel sides.

lobe:

In flowers where the bases of the petals are joined at the base, each of the upper (free) parts of the petals. In leaves, rounded divisions of the leaf. In dry fruiting bodies ('seeds'), one rounded section of two or more sections of the fruiting body.

lobed:

Lobed leaves have lobes, which are rounded divisions only partially dividing the leaf.

lobes:

In flowers where the bases of the petals are joined at the base, lobes are the upper (free) parts of the petals. In leaves, rounded divisions of the leaf. In dry fruiting bodies ('seeds'), a lobe is one rounded section of two or more sections of the fruiting body.

M

male flower:

A flower that produces pollen, but not seeds..

mealy:

Covered with a fine floury dust.

mucro:

A short stiff point on the end of a leaf.

mycelium:

The non-fruiting portion of a fungus composed of very fine threads.

O

obovate:

Egg-shaped and broader above the middle.

ovaries:

The lower sections of the female reproductive parts of flowers which contain the young seeds.

ovary:

The enlarged lower part of the female part of a flower, which produces seeds after pollination.

ovoid:

Egg-shaped, attached at the broader end.

P

panicle:

A group of flowers, the flowers borne on branches arising from a main axis. Line drawing in G.M. Cunningham, WE Mulham, PL Milthorpe and J H Leigh (1981 and later printings) Plants of Western New South Wales, page 737, Fig. 67b

panicles:

Groups of flowers, the flowers borne on branches arising from a main axis. Line drawing in G.M. Cunningham, WE Mulham, PL Milthorpe and J H Leigh (1981 and later printings) Plants of Western New South Wales, page 737, Fig. 67b

partial flower head:

In daisies with compound flower heads, small flower heads (partial heads) are grouped together to form the compound head.

partial flower heads:

In daisies with compound flower heads, small flower heads (partial heads) are grouped together to form the compound head.

perennial:

Lasting for three or more years. Many perennial forbs die down and resprout in a following season from the root.

perianth:

The petal-like parts of the flower, including the sepals and petals. In some plant families, when there is only one whorl, the parts are called tepals. In families in which the flowers have no petals, the parts are often called perianth segments.

perianth segments:

The inner and outer whorls of parts of a flower are sepals and petals. When there is only one whorl, the parts are called tepals (as in Grevillea and Hakea), sepals (as in Adriana, Beyeria) or perianth segments (as in Emex, Persicaria, Rhagodia).

petal:

Coloured structures forming the inner ring of leaf-like structures in a flower. Coloured bracts below the flower, daisy ligules (the single petal on an outer floret), and the single coloured ring of structures in eg Grevillea  and Hakea flowers are keyed as petals.

petals:

Coloured structures forming the inner ring of leaf-like structures in a flower. Coloured bracts below the flower, daisy ligules, and the single coloured ring of structures in eg Grevillea  and Hakea flowers are keyed as petals.

phyllode:

A leaf stem, often flattened, that photosynthesises as if it were a leaf. All the Acacias and Daviesias in this key have phyllodes. In this key, the term 'leaf' is used instead.

pistil:

The female part of the flower, which produces seeds after pollination.

pith:

Spongy tissue in the centre of a branchlet.

prostrate:

Lying on the ground.

R

raceme:

 A flower group where the flower stems are attached to a single axis. A raceme where the flowers are stalkless is usually called a spike.

racemes:

Flower groups where the flower stems are attached to a single axis. A raceme where the flowers are stalkless is usually called a spike.

rosette:

A circle of leaves radiating from a common source at the base of a plant.

S

scattered:

Not arranged along the stem in a regular order. Keyed as 'alternating along the stem' in this key.

scurfy:

Covered with tiny loose scales.

sepals:

Structures (usually green) forming the outer ring or the single ring of petal-like structures in a flower. If there is no inner ring of petals, 5 sepals are keyed as 0 and 5 petals in this key (for example).

sheath:

A tubular structure encircling the stem and forming the base of a leaf.

sheathing stipules:

Membranous outgowths at the base of a leaf that form a sheath around a stem.

shrub:

A multi-stemmed woody plant of any height. The term sub-shrub is not used in this key.

spike:

A group of stalkless flowers or flower heads attached to a common axis.

spikelet:

In grasses and sedges, a spikelet is the unit of a flower group, usually with two bracts (glumes) at the base, and consisting of one to many florets (individual tiny flowers) which produce seeds or are sterile.

spikelets:

In grasses and sedges, a spikelet is the unit of a flower group, usually with two bracts (glumes) at the base, and consisting of one to many florets (individual tiny flowers) which produce seeds or are sterile.

spikes:

Groups of stalkless flowers or flower heads attached to a common axis.

spore:

The very small structure by which non-seeding plants (ferns and mosses 0.02-0.03mm across) and fungi (0.001-0.1mm across) reproduce.

stamens:

A stamen is the male part of a flower, consisting of a pollen bearing anther, usually on a stalk (filament).

stem-clasping:

When the base of stemless leaf clasps the stem.

sterile:

A flower or floret that lacks structures that produce pollen or seeds, or has non-functional reproductive structures. A fern frond that does not produce spores.

stigmas:

The receptive parts of  female reproductive organs of flowers, to which pollen sticks.

stipules:

Leafy or membranous outgrowths, usually in pairs, at the base of a leaf stem.

striated:

A surface with longitudinal lines, grooves, or ridges.

styles:

Parts of the female reproductive organs of a flower above the ovary, often threadlike.

subtended:

Close underneath.

succulent:

Fleshy and with cells that store water.

T

tepals:

The inner and outer whorls of parts of a flower are sepals and petals. When there is only one whorl, the parts are called tepals (as in eg Grevillea, Hakea,  and Juncus), sepals (as in Adriana, Beyeria) or perianth segments (as in Rhagodia).

terminal:

At the tip or apex of a plant structure. Of flowers, borne at the ends of the plant stems.

toothed:

Like a row of sharp teeth.

tree:

A woody plant with branches in the upper part arising from a single trunk. Usually more than 3 metres tall.

tube:

The joined petals at the base of some flowers.

tuber:

A swollen underground stem that acts as a food storage.

tubular:

Flowers where the basal ends of the petals are joined togerther to form a tube.

U

umbels:

Flower groups where the flower stems arise from the top of a common stalk.

V

valves:

Sections (usually triangular and raised) into which the roof of a gum nut splits to release the seeds.

vein:

A stiffened tube in a leaf or flower that conducts fluids.

W

wavy:

Leaf margins that are not flat. Fig. See 10L page 54 Flora of South Australia Vol. 1 (1986), Fig. 8J page 562 Flora of New South Wales  Vol. 1 (1990)

whorl:

Of leaves, arranged in a circle round the stem. Sepals form the outer whorl of flowers, and petals the inner whorl.

witches broom galls:

Proliferations of shoots and branches arising from branches infected by a rust fungus.

woolly:

Densely covered in matted curly hairs, usually white.