|
|
| (5 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | {| align=right
| + | [[Image:Langaa egeskov rimfrost.jpg|thumb|250px|Deciduous forest after leaf fall]] |
| − | |-
| + | [[Image:Forsythia close-up.jpg|thumb|250px|Like many deciduous plants, ''[[Forsythia]]'' flowers during the leafless season]] |
| − | | [[Image:Langaa egeskov rimfrost.jpg|thumb|250px|Deciduous forest after leaf fall]]
| + | '''Deciduous''' means Falling, as the leaves of non-[[evergreen]] trees. ie. Plants that lose their leaves during winter. |
| − | |-
| |
| − | | [[Image:Forsythia close-up.jpg|thumb|250px|Like many deciduous plants, ''[[Forsythia]]'' flowers during the leafless season]]
| |
| − | |}
| |
| | | | |
| − | '''Deciduous''' means "temporary" or "tending to fall off" (deriving from the [[Latin]] word ''decidere'', to fall off) and is typically used in reference to trees or shrubs that lose their leaves seasonally.
| + | {{glossary}} |
| − | | |
| − | Such broad-leaf trees & shrubs include [[Maple]], [[Oak]], [[Elm]], [[Aspen]], and [[Birch]], among others. Periods of leaf fall often coincide with seasons: winter in the case of cool-climate plants or the dry-season in the case of tropical plants.<ref> Cundall, Peter. ''Flora: The Gardener’s Bible: Over 20,000 Plants''. Ultimo, NSW, Australia: ABC Publishing, 2005. ISBN 073331094X.</ref>
| |
| − | | |
| − | ==Botany==
| |
| − | In [[botany]], '''deciduous [[plant]]s''', principally [[tree]]s and [[shrubs]], are those that lose all of their [[leaves]] for part of the year. This process is called [[abscission]]. In some cases, the leaf loss coincides with [[winter]] in [[temperate]] or [[polar climate]]s, while others lose their leaves during the [[dry season]] in climates with seasonal variation in [[rain]]fall. The converse of deciduous is [[evergreen]]; plants that are intermediate may be called [[semi-deciduous]].
| |
| − | | |
| − | Many deciduous plants [[flower]] during the period when they are leafless, as this increases the effectiveness of [[pollination]]. The absence of [[leaf|leaves]] improves wind transmission of pollen in the case of wind-pollinated plants, and increases the visibility of the flowers to [[insect]]s in insect-pollinated plants. This strategy is not without risks, as the flowers can be damaged by frost, or in dry season areas, result in water stress on the plant. Nevertheless, by losing leaves in the cold winter days, plants can reduce water loss since most of the water would appear as ice, and there is much less branch and trunk breakage from glaze ice storms when leafless (Lemon 1961).
| |
| − | | |
| − | ==Anatomy==
| |
| − | In [[anatomy]], '''[[deciduous teeth]]''', also called [[milk teeth]], are those that fall out during the course of normal development. Other body parts that are shed, such as [[antler]]s, are also described as deciduous.
| |
| − | | |
| − | ==Regions==
| |
| − | The deciduous forest is in [[North America]] and [[Europe]], and parts of [[Asia]], [[Australia]], and [[Africa]] ([[Madagascar]]).
| |
| − | | |
| − | ==References==
| |
| − | {{Reflist}} | |
| − | | |
| − | *Lemon, P. C. (1961). Forest ecology of ice storms. ''Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club'' 88: 21.
| |
| − | | |
| − | [[Category:Botany]]
| |
| − | [[Category:Plants and pollinators]]
| |
