petiole
/'petioul/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Noun:
- The slender stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem: In botany, the "petiole" is the small stem-like structure that connects a leaf to a plant's main stem or branch. It supports the leaf blade and may help position it to receive sunlight.
Examples of Usage
- Noun:
- The maple leaf has a long, slender petiole.
- In some plants, like celery, the petiole is the edible part.
- Botanists study the length and structure of the petiole to classify plants.
Advanced Usage
- Sessile leaf: A leaf that lacks a petiole and is attached directly to the stem.
- Grass blades are examples of sessile leaves, as they have no petiole.
- Petiolate leaf: A leaf that possesses a petiole.
- Oak and maple trees have petiolate leaves.
Variants and Related Words
- Petiolar (adj): Of or relating to a petiole.
- The petiolar base was swollen.
- Petiolule (n): The stalk of a leaflet within a compound leaf.
- Each leaflet of the rose leaf has its own small petiolule.
Synonyms
- Leafstalk: A common synonym for petiole.
- Stipe: In botany, this can sometimes refer to a stalk supporting a structure like a fern frond or a fungus, but it is not a direct synonym for the petiole of a typical leaf.
Related Terms and Concepts
- Lamina (n): The broad, flat part of a leaf; the leaf blade.
- The petiole holds the lamina away from the stem.
- Rachis (n): The main axis of a compound leaf, to which leaflets are attached.
- The leaflets are arranged along the rachis, which is an extension of the petiole.
Noun
- the slender stem that supports the blade of a leaf