The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Ternate \Ter"nate\, a. [NL. ternatus, fr. L. terni three each. See Tern, a.] Having the parts arranged by threes; as, ternate branches, leaves, or flowers. -- Ter"nate*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
ternate adj 1: (of a leaf shape) consisting of three leaflets or sections