| palmate | digitate, radiating, fan-like from a common point, as leaflets of a palmately compound lf. or veins or palmately-veined lf. |
| panicle | an indeterminate infl. whose primary axis bears branches of pedicelled fls. (at least basally so); a branching raceme. |
| parasites | any organisms that live in or on, or at the expense of another; organisms living in such a way as to derive all nourishment from the tissues of the host. |
| parasitic | referring to any organism that lives in or on, or at the expense of another; referring to an organism living in such a way as to derive all nourishment from the tissues of the host. |
| perennial | having a life cycle of three or more years. |
| petiole | a stem or stalk; the slender segment between the thorax and abdomen in certain Diptera and many Hymenoptera; in the latter, a pedicel formed of only one segment, or the first segment of a two-segmented pedicel in ants; in plants, the slender stalk of a leaf. |
| pheromone | chemical emitted to air currents by an insect to stimulate behavior of other members of species (e.g., mating pheromone). |
| photosensitive | responsive (sensitive) to light. |
| physiological | resulting from some unfavorable physical or environmental factor (e.g., light, temperature, water, soil nutrients, chemical, physical, or mechanical injury). |
| predacious | any animal that eats others; living by preying upon other organisms, as certain insects. |
| predators | any animal that eats others; living by preying upon other organisms, as certain insects. |
| predatory | any animal that eats others; living by preying upon other organisms, as certain insects. |
| prostrate | lying flat on the ground; a general term. |
| pupa | the resting inactive instar in all holometabolous insects; the intermediate stage between the larva and the adult; applied to all insect orders with complete metamorphosis. |
| pupae | the resting inactive instar in all holometabolous insects; the intermediate stage between the larva and the adult; applied to all insect orders with complete metamorphosis. |
| pupate | the resting inactive instar in all holometabolous insects; the intermediate stage between the larva and the adult; applied to all insect orders with complete metamorphosis. |