Plant Glossary U V W

U

Ultrasonic Cleaner: A cleaning device employing ultrasonic vibration, occasionally used for cleaning explants

Undifferentiated: Not differentiated, as in cells or tissues that have not yet been modified for their ultimate structure or function

Union: The area where a rootstock and a scion have grown together

V

Variegated: Plants having multicolored leaves, either due to a virus, a nutritional deficency, or genetic makeup

Vascular Bundle: Conductive tissue, including the cambium, phloem, xylem, that enables sap to pass around the plant

Vector: (1) An agent that carries a disease from one organism to another or pollen from flower to flower (2) IN genetic engineering, the plasmid or nuclleic acid used to insert genes into receptive cells

Vegetative: somatic, non∼sexual

Vegetative growth: In brugmansia, vegetative growth is found on the main trunk of the plant, and contains a flourish of leaves. The plant will not flower at this point, but instead must make a Y, or Fork, above this growth before setting buds.

Viability: The capacity of a seed to germinate and develop. Seeds of each species tend to be viable for a certain number of years

Vitrification: A phenomenon in which tissues develop a glassy, water∼logged, swollen appearance

W

Water of Hydration: The amount of water that is chemically attached to a compound. This must be accounted for proportionally if, for example, an anhydrous (lacking water of hydration) form of a chemical is used instead of the hydrate form

Widger: A tool used to lift seedlings

Winter Annual: A plant that only lives one year, generally germinating in midsummer and forming seeds and dying the following spring

Woody Plant: A plant that develops woody tissue

Tags: gardening, plant, and botany definitions, Plant and Gardening Definitions U V W