Glossary

Category: F

  • Fibrillate

    With fibres; With a lined appearance. To undergo rapid irregular uncontrolled contractions, or make the heart or muscles undergo this type  of contraction.  

  • Fibre

    Lignified elongated cells or groups of cells in wood other than vessel or parenchyma elements; Wood elements in general. A structure in the body shaped like a thread.  

  • Fibonacci series

    Fibonacci series

    A mathematical series of numbers first formulated by Indian scientists but popularised by Leonardo ‘Fibonacci’ of Pisa in 1202. Each number in the series is formed by adding up the previous two: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21…. Spiral leaf arrangements, the spiral packing of flowers in large heads, the spiral arrangement of cone…

  • Fertilisation

    The result of pollen reaching the egg cell, leading to the fusion of gametes to produce a new individual of the same species. The result of a male gamete reaching a female gamete, in seed plants a pollen tube reaching an ovule, leading to the fusion of gametes and production of a new individual. The…

  • Ferrugineous, ferruginous

    Rust-coloured; ferruginous is the preferred spelling. Resembling iron rust.  

  • Fern ally

    Fern ally

    Rather vague group of plants near ferns and like ferns in having alternate generations, the main generation producing spores (e.g. Isoetes, Lycopodium and Equisetum).  

  • Fern

    Fern

    Flowerless plants with leaves bearing spores that give rise to tiny sexual prothalli, which produce fern plantlets. Vascular, nonflowering plants, which do not produce fruit or seed and instead reproduce by spores. Major clade of vascular plants, composed of plants lacking flowers and seeds but instead having simple or complex leaves that bear spores, which…

  • Fenestra (plural fenestrae)

    Opening(s) or window(s) at base of a staminal tube (e.g. in many papilionoid legumes). A small opening in the ear. Windowlike opening, sometimes closed by a membrane. The fenestra ovalis fenestra vestibuli), or oval window, and the fenestra rotonda (fenestra cochleae), or round window, are two openings in the ear. Small opening to relieve pressure;…

  • Felted

    (Of indumentum) matted, with intertwined hairs, resembling felt.  

  • Fawn

    (Colour) light yellowish-brown.