Fruticose

/ˈfruːtɪkoʊs/ adjective

Definition

Growing in the form of a shrub; having a woody, branching, bushy growth pattern.

Etymology

From Latin 'fruticosus' derived from 'frutex' (shrub). Specifically describes the morphology or shape of shrubby plants.

Kelly Says

Lichenologists love 'fruticose'—it describes branching lichens that look like tiny shrubs under a microscope, proving shrub-shapes appear at every scale!

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