Displaying 1876 - 1900 out of 3058 Object(s)

Term Definition
Morphology Referring to the study of the form and structure of organisms.
Moss life cycle Alternation of generations of a moss . The conspicuous, green, represents the gametophyte generation which is everything between the spore and the embryo in this illustration whereas the sporophyte is consists of the stalk and capsule elevated above the green gametophyte generation. Moss life cycle
Mucilage A sticky, viscous liquid; e.g., that present among the leaf bases of Rapateaceae or in canals penetrating the ovary and sepals of some Lecythidaceae. Mucilage
Mucilage ducts (= mucilaginous ducts) Longitudinally oriented ducts that penetrate the ovary and sepals of some species of Lecythis. These ducts produce a mucilage that is hypothesized as a way to protect the fruits from predation, i.e., insects and other animals get their mouth parts gummed up if they try to penetrate the fruit wall. Mucilage ducts (= mucilaginous ducts)
Mucro (mucronate) A sharp point at the apex of a leaf or a similar structure, e.g., a bract. Mucro (mucronate)
Muellerian bodies (also spelled Müllerian bodies) Glycogen-rich food bodies located on fuzzy pads (trichilia) at the base of the petiole of some species of Cecropia (Cecropiaceae). Compare with pearl bodies. Muellerian bodies (also spelled Müllerian bodies)
Multiple big bang phenology A flowering strategy in which abundant flowers are produced each day for a few days at several different times of the year. Multiple big bang phenology
Multiple fruit A fruit formed from the ovaries of more than one flower, e.g., the pineapple fruit which consists of the fusion of the ovaries of the flowers of an inflorescence as the fruits develop. Multiple fruit
Multiseriado Se refiere a una estructura con más de dos verticilos o hileras, como el perianto. Comparar con uniseriado.
Multiseriate Referring to a structure, such as a perianth, with more than two whorls or rows. Compare with uniseriate.
Muricate Rough because of the presence of short, often stiff, protuberances.
Muticous Blunt, without a point.
Mutualism A symbiotic relationship between two organisms that benefits both; examples are the relationship of Azteca ants with species of Cecropia (the ants receive food and shelter and the plant is protected from preditors by the ants) and the relationship between mycorrhizal fungi and plants (the fungus receives carbohydrates and the plant receives nutrients). Mutualism
Mycelium (plural = mycelia) The totality of hyphae that comprise the above and below ground parts of a fungus. Mycelium (plural = mycelia)
Mycoheterotroph (adj.= mycoheterotrophic) Unable to synthesize organic compounds from inorganic substrates, i.e., this kind of plant does not photosynethesize and is not green in color because it lacks chlorophyll. It is called a mycoheterotroph because it receives photosynthate from other plants through fungal ( = mycorrhizal) connections. Mycoheterotroph (adj.= mycoheterotrophic)
Mycoheterotroph (mycoheterotrophic) A heterotrophic plant that is without chlorophyll, lives on decayed plant material, and depends on a symbiotic relationship with a fungus to obtain food. Mycoheterotroph (mycoheterotrophic)
Mycorrhiza (plural = mycorrhizae) A mutualistic symbiotic relationship between certain fungi and the roots of many species of vascular plants. Both the fungus and the vascular plant benefit---the fungus receives carbohydrates from the plant and the plant receives receives mineral nutrients from the fungus. In order to facilitate the transfer of carbohydrate and minerals the hyphae of the fungus penetrate the roots of the vascular plant hosts.
Myrcioid embryo A type of embryo found in the Myrtaceae in which the cotyledons are normally thin, leafy, and folded, and the narrow, cylindrical hypocotyl is about the same length as the cotyledons and encircling them. Compare with eugenioid embryo and myrtoid embryo. Myrcioid embryo
Myristicaceous branching A growth form found in the plant family Myristicaceae in which the main trunk is orthotropous and with spiral phyllotaxy, and the branches are plagiotropous with distichous phyllotaxy.
Myrmecochory Dispersal of seeds by ants.
Myrmecophory Referring to ants that carry away diaspores from parent plants. The ants are usually attracted to fleshy structures associated with seeds. Same as ant dispersal. Myrmecophory
Myrmecophyte Referring to a plant with a symbiotic relationship with ants; in the Orchidaceae, this normally refers to a plant which has a specific species of ant inhabiting the roots or other structure such as the pseudobulb, e.g. in Calaurthron billamelatum, the pseudobulb is hollow and inhabitated by ants; in Tococa guianensis (Melastomataceae), the bases of the leaves have domatia which are inhabited by ants. Myrmecophyte
Myrtoid embryo A variable type of embryo found in the Myrtaceae in which the hypocotyl is the same length or much longer than the cotyledons; in genera with hard seed coats, the embryo is C-shaped; in genera with membranous or submembranous seed coats, the hypocotyl often is greatly swollen, and sometimes the whole embryo forms a spiral. Compare with eugenioid embryo and myrcioid embryo. Myrtoid embryo
Myxocarpy The production of mucilage by fruits or seeds which may aid in seed dispersal by facilitating the attachment of the diaspores to dispersal agents. Same as myxodiasporic.
Myxodiaspory (myxodiasporic) The production of mucilage by fruits or seeds which may aid in seed dispersal by facilitating the attachment of the diaspores to to dispersal agents. Same as myxodiasporic. Do not confuse with mucilage ducts in fruit walls which are thought to produce mucilage that protects the seeds from predation by insects and other animals.