Glossary of Gardening Terms

Index L

Labellum:
   Lip-like lower petal or perals of some orchids.
Labiate:
   Flowers where the petals protrude to suggest lips, especially of the families Labiatae and Scrophulariabeae.
Laciniate:
   Fringed or divided into irregular segments.
Lamina:
   Leaf blade.
Lanceolate:
   Lance-like.
Lateral:
  

Located on or to the side of an axis or organ.

Sideshoot from the stem of a plant.
Latex:
   Milky secretion produced by some plants.
Lath House:
   Structure consisting of light planks or trellis to protect plants against wind, sun and rain in readiness for planting out.
Lax:
   Not compacted.
Layering:
   Method of propagation.
Leaching:
   Removal of soluble solids from the soil by the passage of water.
Leader:
  

Main, usually central, stem of a plant.

Terminal shoot of a main branch.
Leaf:
   Plant organ, usually flattened and green, borne on a stem or branch, that fulfils the functions of photosynthesis and transpiration.
Leaf area index:
  The ratio of leaf area to land area on which a crop is grown.
Leaf Axil:
   Angle formed between the leaf and the stem of a plant.
Leaf blade:
   The broadened flat region of the leaf (lamina) in which the majority of photosynthesis occurs.
Leaf Bud cutting:
   Cutting taken from a stem section, including a leaf bud and leaf stalk.
Leaf Cutting:
   Cutting taken from a leaf or a section of a leaf.
Leaflet:
   An individual segment of a compound leaf. Leaflets can be distinguished from leaves because the leaflet will not have an axillary bud.
Leaf-mould:
   Rich fibrous, usually woodland soil, composed of rotting leaves, wood, seeds, etc.
Leaf Node:
   Point at which a leaf arises from a stem.
Leaf-Rich:
   Describes soil that has a high degree of humus or leaf-mould.
Leaf-Scar:
   Raised area on a tree trunk, branch or twig, where a leaf once grew.
Legume:
   A simple many seeded dehiscent fruit which splits along two sides when mature from apex to base. (e.g., pea pod)
Lemma:
  A floral bract of a grass flower.
Lenticel:
   Raised pore on the surface of bark or some fruits, which provides air for the inner tissues.
Light quality:
   The combination of different wavelengths or colours that make up light.
Lignin:
   A tough strong organic substance added to the inside of woody cell walls to provide strength and rigidity.

Ligule:

   A small flap of tissue found at the collar of a grass stem, often used in identifying grass species by vegetative characteristics.
Limb:
  

Broadened, flattened and expanded part of a plant organ, usually a leaf or flower, extending from a narrower base.

Larger branch of a tree.
Lime:
   Loosely, refers to compound of calcium. Calcium content is used to measure the soil pH.
Lime Free:
   Refers to acidic soil.
Lime Tolerant:
   Capable of growing in calcareous soil.
Lip:
   Prominent lower lobe on a flower, formed by one or more fused sepals.
Linnaeus:
   The Swedish botanist who devised the system of binomial nomenclature.
Liquid Feed:
   Water diluted solution of fertilisers, often used for houseplants.
Lithophytic:
   Growing on or amongst stones.
Loam:
   Highly fertile, well-drained but moisture retentive soil, usually fibre- and humus-rich, and containing more or less equal parts of clay, sand and silt.
Lobe:
   Usually rounded segment, separated from adjacent segments by clefts extending halfway or less to the centre of an organ, such as a leaf.
Lobate:
   Lobed.

Last updated 10 March, 2002
© copyright 1999, P. A. Owen