[A] [B] [C] [D] [E] [F] [G] [H] [I] [J] [K] [L] [M] [N] [O] [P] [Q] [R] [S] [T] [U] [V] [W] [XYZ]

[A]
ALBESCENT – possessing leaves that begin yellow or more pigmented and become whiter as the season progresses; e.g.H. 'Gold Standard'.

ANTHER – the upper part of the stamen, male flower part, in a capsule-like structure that splits to release yellow pollen.

AP0MIXIS - asexual seed produced without the normal fusion of pollen and egg giving rise to seedlings genetically identical to the pod parent; e.g. H. ventricosa.

AXILLARY - coming from the joint of a leaf and the stem.

[B]
BACKWARD MUTATION – the pigment change of a plant or division from a variegated state or a state with less chlorophyll to one of more chlorophyll or a solid-colored condition.

BLOOM - 1. flower 2. waxy coating on a leaf, stem, or pod surface producing a dusty appearance.

BLOOM TIME - the time period between when the first flower of a stem or clump opens or is receptive to pollination and the last flower is open or receptive.

BRACT – the diminutive or leaf-like structures on the scape below each flower.

[C]
CENTERED-OUT – the dying out of the middle portion of a clump.

CHIMERA – an individual containing cells of two or more different tissues.

CHIMERAL REARRANGEMENT – (in Hosta) the changing position of different pigments of different tissues in an individual, i.e. a gold margined hosta producing a gold centered or all gold division.

CLONE - a group of genetically identical individual plants produced by asexual propagation.

COROLLA – (in Hosta) the collective set of petals and sepals, fused into tepals; normally appearing as two sets of three.

CORRUGATED – see SEERSUCKERING

CROWN – the base of a plant where the roots and shoots join.

CULTIVAR - contraction word for "cultivated variety"; a plant that is clearly distinguished by identical physical characteristics and maintains these characteristics through proper propagation means.

CUPPED – leaf blade having the center of the leaf lower than the margin, concave.

[D]
DIMPLES – a slight form of seersuckering

DIVISION – (in Hosta) a single shoot with roots attached.

DRAWSTRING EFFECT – the leaf distortion caused by the expansion of the interior of the leaf blade with a correspondingly lesser expansion of the margin tissue. This usually occurs as the result from a narrow white margin and green to gold center; e.g. H. 'Lunar Eclipse'..

DWARF – (see table below)

[E]
EMERGED – having shoots above the ground.

EYE – an undeveloped or dormant shoot; dormant bud.

[F]
FASCIATED – a flattening of the flower scape giving the appearance of several scapes fused together side by side.

FERTILIZATION - 1. Application of nutrients; 2. union of egg and sperm.

FILAMENT – the long thin structure that holds the anther.

FLOWER STEM - the main stem of the inflorescence.

FOLDED - bent upward parallel to midrib, keel-shaped.

FURLED - (in Hosta) having leaves with edges or sides curled or coiled in to the midrib; e.g. H. 'Stetson'.

[G]
GENOTYPE - The genetic makeup of a plant.

GENUS - taxonomic division of related species below family.

GIANT - (see table below)

GLABROUS - smooth hairless leaf texture.

GLAUCOUS – a waxy coating (or bloom) producing a white to blue coloring over the plant parts, the coating is capable of rubbing or washing off especially in hot conditions

[H]
HEART-SHAPED – having an acute leaf point or apex, and a flat to cordate leaf base; shaped like a valentine heart; cordate.

HYBRID – a seedling from two distinct parents.

[I]
INFLORESCENCE - the flowering part of a hosta including the raceme, peduncle, pedicel, and flower.

INFLORESCENCE LEAVES - the larger, occasionally flat, leaf-like structures on the flower stem.

[J]
JETTING – (in Hosta) having a margin variegation that is not uniform, but irregularly extends into or toward the center of the leaf; e.g. H. montana 'Aureomarginata', H. montana 'Choko Nishiki'.

JUVENILE – (in Hosta) the pre-adult stages of a plant usually exemplified by more pointed, narrower leaves,fewer vein pairs, thinner marginal variegation, faster growth rate, and often  smaller leaf and clump size.

[K]

[L]
LANCE-SHAPED – having a narrow pointed leaf tip and leaf blade width less than one half the length of the blade

LARGE – (see table below)

LEAF BLADE – the thin, usually flat part of leaf excluding the petiole.

LUTESCENT – possessing leaves which begin the season darker and become lighter or more yellow as the season progresses; not the result of bleaching due to poor nutrition or too much sun.

[M]
MACULATA – Latin term for middle

MATURE – (in Hosta) a plant with general characteristics that do not change with continued aging.

MEDIO-VARIEGATED – leaf or leaves having a lighter center than the margin color.

MEDIUM – (see table below)

MELTING OUT - necrosis of the white or lighter center of hosta leaves.

MERISTEM - the region of rapidly expanding cells of one of the growing points of a plant that further differentiate to produce shoots, roots, and flowers.

MID-RIB – the center vein of a leaf.

MINIATURE - (see table below)

MISTED – having small short segments of dark pigmented tissue on a lighter background.

MOTTLED - blotched spotting of leaf blade; e.g. H.'Cynthia'.

MUTATION – a genetic change of DNA in an individual.

[N]
NECROSIS - the death or dying of cells, tissues, or whole plants.

NODE - the meristematic place on a stem where the leaf is attached.

[O]
OVARY - the basal portion of the pistil where eggs are contained.

OVATE - (in Hosta) leaves egg-shaped.

[P]
PANICLE - an inflorescence with the main axis branched; e.g. H. tibae.

PATTERN – the particular type of variegation.

PEDICEL - the structure attaching an individual flower to the flower stem.

PEDUNCLE – (in Hosta) the main stem of the inflorescence; flower stem.

PETAL – see TEPAL

PETIOLE – leaf stalk.

PHENOTYPE - the visually observed characteristics of an individual; physical appearance.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS – the process that healthy plants perform using chloroplast to produce carbohydrates using light energy, water, and carbon dioxide.

PIECRUST – (in Hosta) a consistent rippled or crimped appearance limited to the outer edge of a leaf.

PISTIL - the female part of the flower consisting of style, stigma, and ovary.

POD - developed ovary or fruit.

POLLEN - the male gametes.

POLLINATION - the transfer of pollen to a receptive stigma.

PROGENY – the offspring from sexual reproduction.

PRUINOSE – see GLAUCOUS

PUCKERING – see SEERSUCKERING

[Q]

[R]
RACEME - inflorescence with flowers attached individually to a main stem by pedicels.

REVERT – (in Hosta) the change of a variegated sport back to its original solid colored predecessor.

RHIZOMATOUS – having long reaching underground horizontal stems; loosely spreading habit; e.g. H. clausa.

[S]
SCAPE – (in Hosta) the stem bearing the complete set of flowers for a single division.

SEEDLING – plant of seed origin resulting from the fusion of an egg and sperm (pollen).

SEERSUCKERING – the gathering of a leaf between the veins giving the leaf the bubbled effect as if thread had been pulled out of a piece of material.

SELFING - the pollination of a clone by the same clone.

SHOOT – the stem and set of leaves of an individual division; the dormant set of leaves all enclosed in a single set of leaf scales.

SMALL – (see table below)

SPECIES - the taxonomic division of freely interbreeding population of wild or naturally occurring individuals below genus.

SPECKLED – small spotted irregular coloring.

SPLASHED – having a variegation pattern that has many non-connected light and dark variegated sections usually in streaks running nearly parallel to the midrib, an unstable form of variegation; e.g. H. 'Beatrice'.

SPORT – an individual arising from the result of mutation or chimeral rearrangement that is genotypically or phenotypically different from the original individual.

STABLE - (in Hosta) a plant that maintains its solid or variegated pattern when propagated by division.

STAMEN – the male flower parts consisting of the filament and the anther, usually six per flower.

STIGMA – the receptive female tip of the flower at the end of the style.

STOLONIFEROUS – (in Hosta) see RHIZOMATOUS

STREAKED – see SPLASHED

STYLE – the long tube connecting the stigma with the ovary.

SUBSTANCE – the amount of thickness between the veins, to the touch, of a fully expanded leaf blade.

[T]
TEXTURE - the characteristics of the leaf surface to the eye.

TWISTED – a leaf rotated around itself producing an askew condition.

[U]
UNDULATED – a course wave to the leaf blade; e.g. H.'Undulata'.

UNFURLED – the stage of leaf development when the blade is open and completely separated from the petiole; usually when a leaf has completely untangled from itself.

[V]
VARIEGATED – leaf having more than one color due to a difference in pigment components as margined, medio-variegated, splashed,misted, or mottled.

VEIN PAIRS – the matched set of veins on opposite side of the center midrib.

VEINS – the prominent lines of connective tissue for carrying water and nutrients. (in Hosta) nearly parallel to the edge or center of the leaf.

VIRIDESCENT - possessing of leaves which begin the season lighter colored and become more green as the season advances.

[W]
WAVY – see UNDULATED

WHITE-BACKED – having a glaucous underside; e.g. H. hypoleuca.

[XYZ]

Table of Relative Hosta Size