Glossary
Terminology
Jo’s explanations of terms commonly used in The Big List.
Form
- aquatic
- growing in standing water, though perhaps tolerating limited dry spells
- emergent
- an aquatic growing up out of the water to a significant extent.
- fern
- its a fern
- floating
- an aquatic with buoyant leaves and/or stems that are largely unable to support their own weight
- forb
- not woody, but also not a graminoid
- graminoid
- grasses and grass-like relatives like sedges and rushes
- shrub
- woody, but generally without a single distinct trunk
- sub-shrub
- woody and sprawling more-or-less at ground level
- tree
- woody, generally with a single distinct trunk
- vine
- both woody and non-woody species
Height
- low
- short enough for it be overgrown by other plants in a typical flower garden
- medium
- something that would be a hassle to step over
- tall
- something you could lose track of a small child in
- large
- something you could hide a typical fence behind
- canopy
- pretty much the tallest trees around at maturity