Texas Plant Information Database

TPID Glossary

aeolin soil sandy soil deposited by wind

alluvial soil eroded soil deposited by running water

annual plants that complete their entire life cycle in one year

apomictic seeds viable seeds which are unfertilized

aspect geographic orientation toward preferred compass direction

biennial plants that complete their live cycle in two years

biomass weight of living material

clay soil consists of particles less than 0.002 mm, plastic when moist, extremely hard when dry

colluvial soil eroded soil deposited on hillsides

component a non-dominant member of a plant community

coppices sprouts from shoots or root suckers to form thickets or groves

deciduous plants which shed their leaves at least once a year

dominant the most common, often largest species in a community

epiphytic a non-parasitic plant that grows on the surface of other plants

erosion wearing away of soil by the action of water or wind

evergreen plants having green leaves throughout the year

facultative plants that occur equally in wetlands or non-wetlands

facultative upland plants that usually occur in non-wetlands, but occasionally occur in wetlands

facultative wetland plants that occur in wetlands, but occasionally are found in non-wetlands

forb an herb other than a grass

gravelly soil consists of particles larger than 2.0 mm, small pebbles

habitat the place or kind of place in which an organism or a community or association of organisms is found

herb a small plant without woody stems or roots

loamy soil consists of a mixture of sand, silt, and clay, crumbles easily

native plants are are indigenous (i.e. innate or natural) to one or more vegetational regions and are adapted to local conditions

naturalized plants are not native (i.e. foreign) to a vegetational region but can adapt to local conditions; only a few useful, but non-noxious naturalized plants are included in this database

obligate upland plants that almost always occur in non-wetlands

obligate wetland plants that almost always occur in wetlands

perennial plants that grow and reproduce for many years

pH numerical value between 0 and 14 indicating degree of acidity or alkalinity with 7.0 being neutral, below 7.0 acidic, and above 7.0 alkaline

phreatophytic describes a deep-rooted plant that obtains its water supply from groundwater

rhizomes stems growing underground producing new shoots

rush marsh plant with cylindrical often hollow stems of the family Juncaceae

spp. species; a group of closely related individuals within the same genus

sandy soil consists of particles from 0.05 to 2.0 mm, gritty texture

sedge tufted grasslike marsh plant often with triangular stems of the family Cyperaceae

silty soil consists of particles from 0.002 to 0.05 mm, flour-like texture

stolons stems growing along the ground producing new upright plants with roots

succulent plants that are thick, fleshy, soft and, juicy due to the presence of water-storing tissues (e.g., cacti and yuccas)

suffrutescent somewhat shrubby; herbaceous and annual upper parts, woody at the base

tillers new plants growing from the base of an old plant

TPID Texas Plant Information Database