GLOSSARY
This is an abbreviated glossary of the more common bromeliad terms For a complete glossary you should go to the one Derek Butcher has developed for the Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies. It is a 44-page document and contains the meaning of species names as well as descriptive terms.
- ANTHER: the pollen-bearing part of a flower
- APEX: tip
- ASYMMETRIC: irregular in shape or outline
- AXIL: juncture of leaf and stem
- BANDED: marked with crossbars or horizontal lines of color
- BICOLORED: two colored
- BIGENERIC: a cross between species of different genera
- BIPINNATE: twice pinnate
- BRACT: a modified leaf associated with the flowering part of a plant involving size and often color
- CALYX: the outermost case of a flower
- CAMBIUM: growing tissue under the bark
- CAUDEX: the stem or trunk of a plant
- CAULESCENT: having a stem
- CLONE: plants derived vegetatively from one specimen
- COMPOUND: inflorescence; a branching inflorescence
- CONCOLOR: one color
- COROLLA: the inner row of floral parts; composed of petals
- CUSP: a pointed end
- DECIDUOUS: losing its leaves at certain periods
- DIGITATE: fingered or hand like; compound, with the members arising from one point
- DILATED: expanded or widened
- DIOECIOUS: male and female flowers on separate plants
- DISCOLOR: of two, or of different, colors
- DISTICHOUS: disposed in two vertical ranks. The flower spikes in many Vriesea are an example.
- EPIPHYTE: an air plant; a plant that grows on other plants but is not parasitic
- FASCICULATE: growing in clusters
- GENUS: a group of related species
- GLABROUS: smooth; glossy; without hairs or scales
- GLAUCOUS: sea green; covered with a powder that rubs off
- GLOBOSE: globe shaped
- GLOMERATE: collected closely together into a head
- HABITAT: particular place in which a plant grows
- HYBRID: a cross; a plant obtained by putting the pollen of one species on the stigma of another
- INFLORESCENCE: the part of the plant that holds or contains the flower or flower cluster
- KEIKI: Hawaiian for baby; pup or offshoot
- LANCEOLATE: like a lance; a narrow leaf, with curved sides, tapering to a pointed end
- LATERAL: from the side. For example, a lateral inflorescence comes from the side of the plant instead of the center.
- LAX: loosely cohering; open, or not compact
- LITTORAL: the seashore
- OFFSET: an offshoot; a plant arising close to the base of the mother plant
- OVARY: the part of the pistil that contains the ovules or seeds
- OVATE: egg shaped
- PANICLE: a loose, branching flower cluster
- PANICULATE: arranged in panicles
- PEDICEL: the support or stem of a single flower
- PEDUNCLE: the primary flower stalk
- PENDENT: hanging down from its support
- PERIANTH: the sum of sepals and petals
- PETIOLE: the stalk or stem of a leaf
- PINNATE: like a feather; having leaflets on each side of a common petiole
- POLYSTICHOUS: in many ranks or rows
- PSEUDOBULB: a thickened or bulb-form stem borne above the ground
- PUBESCENT: downy
- PUNCTULATE: dotted; marked with minute spots
- RACEME: a simple, elongated cluster with stalked flowers that usually flower from the base up
- RECURVED: curved backward
- REFLEXED: bent abruptly backward
- RHIZOMATOUS: with underground stems
- SAXICOLOUS: growing on rocks
- SCALES: minute, flat absorbing organs through which many bromeliads obtain their water and nutrients
- SCAPE: the stem of the inflorescence, usually extending beyond the leaves
- SCURF: scales
- SECUND: having leaves or flowers turned toward the same side
- SEPAL: one of the separate leaves of a calyx
- SERRATED: toothed; with teeth pointing forward
- SESSILE: with no stalk; attached by the base: sitting
- SHEATH: the leaf base when it forms a vertical coating surrounding the stem
- SIMPLE INFLORESCENCE: a single, unbranched raceme or spike; not compound
- SPATHE: a large bract or a pair of bracts enclosing a flower cluster
- SPECIES: subdivision of a genus
- SPICATE: in the form of a spike, as in an inflorescence
- SPIKE: a compact, elongated inflorescence in which the flowers are sessile or apparently so
- STOLON: a shoot that bends to the ground and takes root, giving rise to a new plant at its tip
- STOLONIFEROUS: sending out or propagating itself by suckers or runners that are disposed to root
- STYLE: the stem part of a pistil or the seed bearing organ of a flower
- SUCCULENT: juicy; fleshy; soft and thickened in texture
- SYNONYM: a name that is in the literature and catalogs other than the valid name of a particular plant
- TERETE: circular or cylindrical in cross-section; also slenderly tapering; shape of leaf is similar to a pencil
- TERMINAL: as applied to leaves, those at the end of the stem
- TERRESTRIAL: plants growing in the ground
- TYPE PLANT: the originally described plant
- XEROPHYTIC: growing in a dry situation and subsisting with a small amount of moisture
INTERNET RESOURCES
In addition to our monthly meetings, there are many resources available to the bromeliad enthusiast, from general to technical. Select a category below for more information.
The Bromeliad Society International is the world organization promoting bromeliad culture. It has many pages of general information for bromeliad enthusiasts.
The Florida Council of Bromeliad Societies maintains a photo index for the Bromeliad Society International as well as bromeliad information. Go to the website then select "Photo Index" on the left side of the page.
The Cryptanthus Society specializes in the genus Cryptanthus, or "earth stars". They derive their name from their shape and the fact that they grow on the ground.
The Bromeliad Society of Australia has photos of bromeliads grown in Australia as well as a great deal of information about bromeliads.
BOOKS
The Hawaii Bromeliad Societyhas an extensive library of reference books about bromeliads. Most of them are out of print and are expensive even if you are able to locate them. They are available to all members.
Book List for Hawaii Bromeliad Society Library
The The Hawaii State Library is another source of free books. We have listed all of the books available as well as some of our recommendations. If you have a library card you can request a book and have it sent to your closest branch.
Book List for Hawaii State Public Library System
A good book to get started with would be Victoria Padilla's Bromeliads. It contains many beautiful photographs of bromeliads and information without excessive detail. This book is available at the Hawaii State Library.
Ulrich and Ursula Baensch's Blooming Bromeliads contains more technical information but still is filled with photographs. This book is also available at the Hawaii State Library.