Word Wise

Definitions for terms used in this issue...

annual (see Good Taste)-a plant that germinates, flowers, sets seed, and dies in the same year; as opposed to a biennial or perennial plant.

aphids (see Ants)-small, soft-bodied insects of the family Aphididae with mouthparts specially adapted for piercing and feed by sucking sap from plants.

bolt (see Spinach)-to produce flowers and seeds prematurely.

bulbils (see Identify)-small bulbs or bulblike structures in place of flowers, or in a leaf axil.

chlorosis (see Vampires)-lacking chlorophyll; the yellowing or whitening of normally green plant tissue because of a decreased amount of chlorophyll, often as a result of disease or nutrient deficiency.

ecosystem (see Ants)-a community of organisms and its environment functioning as an ecological unit

forage (see Ants)-to wander in search of food or provisions.

formic acid (see Ants)-a fuming liquid acid found in ants and some plants that induces blisters. Used commercially in textile dyeing and finishing.

habitat (see Vampires)-the area or environment where an organism or ecological community normally lives or occurs, as in a desert habitat.

histamine (see Ants)-a tissue compound released during an allergic reaction that causes dilation of capillaries, contraction of smooth muscle, and stimulation of gastric acid secretion.

honeydew (see Ants)-an excretion from insects such as aphids, mealybugs, whiteflies, and soft scales, consisting of modified plant sap.

host plant (see Vampires)-a plant that a parasitic plant or animal lives on.

leaf curl (see Vampires)-a plant disease caused by a fungus (genus Taphrina) or virus (especially genus Begomovirus of the family Geminiviridae), characterized by curling of leaves

mandibles (see Ants)-the forward-most pair of mouthparts of an insect.

metamorphosis (see Ants)-the change in form that takes place as insects grow from immature stage to adult.

offsets (see Identify)-a shoot that develops laterally at the base of a plant, often rooting to form a new plant.

organically grown (see Good Taste)-grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers or pesticides.

panicle (see Identify)-a loose, irregularly branched inflorescence with stalked individual flowers

perennial (see Good Taste)-a plant that lives 3 or more years

pheromones (see Ants)-substances secreted by organisms to affect the behavior or development of other members of the same species.

rosette (see Identify)-a cluster of spreading or radiating basal leaves

soil structure (see Good Taste)-the manner in which soil particles are aggregated or grouped together. The structure of surface soils is generally either granular or sandy. The four types of subsurface aggregates are: platy, blocky, prismatic, or massive. Good structure allows rapid movement of air and water through soil.

swales (see Go Native)-low tracts of land, especially where moist or marshy; shallow trough-like depressions that carry water mainly during rainstorms or snowmelts.

symmetrical (see Identify)-a exhibiting symmetry; evenly shaped as opposed to irregularly shaped; having balanced proportions; having the organs or parts of one side corresponding with those of the other

tibia (see Vampires)-shinbone; the inner bone of the human leg between the knee and the ankle; the corresponding leg segment in insects.

Maricopa County Master Gardener Volunteer Information
Last Updated October 4, 2003
Author: Lucy K. Bradley, Extension Agent Urban Horticulture, University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Maricopa County
© 1997 The University of Arizona, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cooperative Extension in Maricopa County
Comments to Maricopa-hort@ag.arizona.edu 4341 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85040,
Voice: (602) 470-8086 ext. 301, Fax (602) 470-8092