| WORD |
DEFINITION |
| A |
|
| acidic |
pH below 7 |
| adsorption |
process by which molecules become attached to the surface |
| Alkaline |
pH above 7 |
| Alternate |
leaves that are staggered, not placed directly across from each other on the twig |
| annual ring |
visible circle in x-section of tree produced by one year’s growth |
| Anther |
upper part of the stamen where the pollen is produced |
| apex |
the tip, furthermost part of something; strictly the pointed or angular summit as in shoot or root apex |
| Axillary bud |
bud in the axil of a leaf; lateral bud |
| azimuth |
compass direction, i.e., 120 degrees is southeast |
| B |
|
| BAF prism |
device used to determine groups of trees of specific size |
| bare root |
a tree without soil on its roots when transplanted |
| basic |
pH between 7 and 14 |
| bedrock |
consolidated rock |
| biltmore |
stick used to measure tree diameter and height |
| board foot |
a standard unit of measure for lumber, (1″x1’x1′) before surfacing or finishing |
| bole |
a tree trunk |
| branch |
a larger outgrowing stem that grows from the trunk |
| broadleaf |
trees that have wide, flat leaves |
| buds |
structures at the end and side stem that develops into a flower, leaf, twig or shoot |
| Bundle scar |
small dots or lines on the surface of the leaf scar marking the point of original departure of the conducting strands into the leaf |
| C |
|
| Calyx |
the external, usually green leafy portion of a flower consisting of sepals; frequently cup like in form |
| cambium |
living cells that divide to form phloem and xylem |
| canopy |
upper part of the forest, consisting of the crown of trees |
| Catkin |
A compact and often drooping cluster of reduced, stalkless, and usually unisexual flowers |
| chain |
a tool used to determine horizontal distances |
| chlorophyll |
the green pigments in plants that absorb the energy of sunlight for use in the manufacture of sugars from carbon dioxide and water |
| climatic range |
geographic limits of growth for a particular type of tree |
| clinometer |
a tool used to determine height of tree at given distance |
| commercial forest |
trees grown for the production of lumber |
| compass |
a tool used to determine direction |
| compost |
a mixture of decomposing organic matter used as a fertilizer, mulch, or soil conditioner |
| Compound |
a leaf with more than one blade, all blades are attached to a single leaf stem |
| conifer |
trees that bear seeds in cones and have long needle-like leaves |
| cord |
stack of wood 4’x4’x8′ or the equivalent |
| crown class |
method of classifying a trees’ position in the canopy |
| crown |
the upper branches and foliage of a tree |
| cruising |
process of estimating the pulpwood or lumber in a stand of trees |
| D |
|
| DBH |
diameter breast height; diameter of a tree trunk in inches 4.5 ft above ground |
| deciduous |
plants that shed all of their leaves at the end of the growing season |
| defoliators |
insects that remove leaves from trees |
| dendrochronology |
the study of the age of trees by counting the rings of xylem growth |
| dendrology |
the study of trees |
| dessication |
the process of drying out |
| diameter tape |
used to directly measure the diameter of a tree |
| Dioecious |
of a species in which individuals are unisexual (male or female) |
| drought |
extended period of time when a significant lack of moisture persists |
| Drupe |
a fleshy fruit with a central hard core containing one or more seeds |
| E |
|
| Erosion |
the wearing away of land or soil by the action of wind, water, or ice |
| evergreen |
plants that retain their green foliage throught out the year |
| F |
|
| feeder roots |
hair-like roots through which the tree obtains water and nutrients |
| flower |
the reproductive unit of a seed-bearing plant |
| forest harvest |
periodic removal of trees for lumber |
| forest pathology |
study of diseases in forest trees |
| forest tract |
a particular set of trees |
| forest |
a large tract of land covered with trees and underbrush |
| forestry |
the science of managing trees, shrubs and animals |
| fruit |
product of plant consisting of ripened seeds with a tissue around it |
| fungus |
a large group of plants lacking chlorophyll like molds, mildews, rusts, mushrooms and smuts, subsisting upon dead or living organic matter |
| G |
|
| Glabrous |
hairless, smooth |
| groundwater |
subsurface water occupying the zone of saturation, the gravitational water below the water table |
| growth rate |
how fast a tree will grow on an average site |
| H |
|
| heartwood |
hard central wood consisting of dead cells that give strength to the tree (usually darker in color) |
| herbarium |
an organized collection of dried of preserved plant specimens |
| humus |
black or brown layer of composted organic matter |
| I |
|
| increment borer |
auger-like tool used to extract cores from the tree trunk to find age |
| insulation |
a barrier of dead air space to reduce change in temperature |
| lateral roots |
grow horizontally and help keep the tree upright |
| L |
|
| Leaf scar |
the mark left on the twig where the leaf was previously attached |
| leaf |
single unit of foliage; usually the site of food manufacture by photosynthsis |
| Lenticel |
opening in the bark that permits the exchange of gases |
| lumber grades |
system for determing potential uses of lumber |
| M |
|
| Monoecious |
of a population or species having functional male and female organs in separate places on the same plant |
| mulch |
a covering such as wood-chips, straw, leaves, etc., spread on the ground around plants to prevent excess evaporation and to enrich the soil |
| N |
|
| Native |
inherent and original to a geographical area |
| NIMBY |
Not In My Backyard |
| nutrients |
mineral elements and compounds which a plant uses for tissue growth |
| O |
|
| Opposite |
two or three leaves that are directly across from each other on the same twig |
| outer bark |
external covering which helps to protect a tree from injury |
| P |
|
| pace |
number of steps for a specific distance (ie. 100ft) |
| percolation |
the absorbtion of water into the soil; usually expressed as a rate |
| Petiole |
the leaf stalk that connects the blade(s) to the twig |
| pH |
a term used to indicate the degree of acidity or alkalinity |
| phloem |
produced by the cambium and carries food from leaves to twigs, branches, trunk, and roots |
| photosysnthesis |
process of making carbohydrate from water, carbon dioxide, chlorophyll and light |
| Pistillate |
having female organs only, may apply to individual flowers or inflorescences, or to plants of a dioecious species in angiosperms collectively the pistils are called the gymoecium |
| plant press |
device for drying plant parts for preservation |
| pruning |
the selective cutting of branches from trees to remove old stems, dead wood, or give it better shape |
| psychrometer |
tool with two thermometers used to find humidity |
| R |
|
| root ball |
ball of soil containing the roots of a tree |
| root hairs |
a hair-like tubular outgrowth from near the tip of a rootlet, functions in water and mineral absorption |
| root |
underground part of a plant that extracts water, oxygen, and nutrients from the soil |
| S |
|
| Samara |
winged fruit (seed) |
| sap |
the liquid that moves through the tissues of plants |
| seeds |
small body made by flowering plants which is capable of growing into a new plant |
| Sessile |
a leaf, that lacks a petiole. The leaf is attached directly to the stem |
| shade leaf |
larger leaves found in the shade, capable of photosynthesis with indirect sunlight |
| silviculture |
the art of producing and caring for a forest |
| site |
spot where a tree will grow – consider soil, light and moisture |
| soil classification |
system to describe the characteristics of a given soil |
| soil density |
how much one cubic centimeter of soil weighs (weight per unit volume) |
| soil drainage |
the speed and extent of water movement over and through the soil |
| soil horizon |
layers of mature soils |
| soil profile |
a diagram of the vertical section of soil noting the horizon layers i.e., A,B,C |
| subsoil |
soil below the usual depth of cultivation, brown or reddish colored soil with more clay than surface soils |
| sun leaf |
smaller leaves found growing exposed to full sunlight |
| T |
|
| tap roots |
grow vertically downward and anchor the tree |
| Terminal or apical bud |
the bud located at the end of a shoot. |
| topsoil |
surface layer of mature soil, containing large amounts of organic material |
| transect |
a straight line that bisects a given unit or area |
| transpiration |
the release of water vapor by the leaves into the air |
| tree form |
tree shape usually one of 8 types or habits |
| tree tolerance |
the ability of trees to endure shade, salt, insects, weather, etc. |
| tree |
a woody plant usually over 20 feet high at maturity |
| trunk |
the main stem of the tree that transports nutrients |
| twigs |
smaller stems that come from the branches |
| V |
|
| vasculum |
field container for collecting plant parts |
| W |
|
| watershed |
the land that drains into a given stream or pond |
| Whorled |
arranged along a twig or shoot in groups of three or more at each node |
| wind meter |
device used to determine speed of wind |
| windbreak |
vegetation planted across the prevailing wind direction to reduce windspeed |
| X |
|
| xylem |
complex tissue in higher plants that carries sap from roots to leaves |
