Glossary - Sand Dunes

Vegetation: plant life in general

Shrub: A low, woody plant with several permanent stems instead of a single trunk; bush

Mound: A heap or bank of earth, sand, etc., whether built; small hill

Mesquite: A thorny tree or shrub

Halts: A stop, especially a temporary one; pause

Crescent: Anything of a similar shape, a curved roll

Flanks: the side of anything

Lee: A sheltered place, especially one on the side away from the wind

Sinuous: Bending or winding in and out

Longitudinal Dune: Dunes that form long ridges in the direction the wind is blowing. These dunes are often quite.

Sand Dune: A mound of sand that is created and shaped by the wind.

Slipface: When the slope facing the wind rises gradually and the side protected from the wind drops off abruptly.

Barchan Dune: A crescent-shaped dune with “horns” that face away from the predominant. Barchan dunes are usually 30 to 100 feet (9 to 30 m) high.

Transverse Dune: Sand dunes formed by fine sand blown by winds from a single direction. Transverse dunes are more common inland from beaches than in deserts.

Parabolic Dune: A long dune with a U-shaped crest. The "arms" of these dunes may be anchored by vegetation or moisture while their curved end is blown longer.

Pollinate: To transfer pollen from the anther (male part of the flower) to the stigma (female part of the flower).