GLOSSARY

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Online Botanical Dictionary


Anther The male part of a flower, which produces pollen. Also known as a stamen.
Berry A fleshy fruit with no stony layer surrounding the seed. Date seeds are composed almost entirely of hard endosperm, they are not covered by a hard layer.
Dioecious Individual plants are either male or female.
Drupe A fleshy fruit with a stony layer derived from the endocarp enclosing the seed (e.g. Prunus spp.). Dates are berries, not drupes, although most sources seem to classify them as drupes. In strictly botanical terms their seeds should be referred to as 'seeds'. [diagram]
Endocarp The innermost differentiated layer of the pericarp.
Endosperm The food reserves within the seed.
Epicarp The outer layer of the pericarp (the skin of the fruit)
Funicle The stalk of the ovule.
Mesocarp The middle layer of the pericarp (the flesh of the fruit).
Ovule The structure containing the egg and developing into the seed after fertilisation.
Pericarp The wall of a fruit, surrounding the seeds. The various layers of the pericarp (endo/meso/epi carp) form the flesh and skin of the fruit. [diagram]
Raphe The united portions of the funicle and outer integument in an ovule which is bent over against the funicle.
Spathe Technically the leaf-like bract surrounding the flower, but usually taken to mean the whole male flower cut for use in the artificial pollination of dates.
Sucker A shoot arising from the base of the trunk which can be removed and planted as a cutting to produce a new palm.
Stone The stony endocarp of a drupe. [diagram]
Testa The skin or outer coat of a seed.

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