Biology:Caudex
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Short description: Biological structure in a plant stem
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The caudex of a tree fern resembles the trunk of a woody plant, but has a different structure.
The caudex of Jatropha cathartica is pachycaul, with thickening that provides water storage.
A caudex (pl.: caudices) of a plant is a stem,[1] but the term is also used to mean a rootstock[2] and particularly a basal stem structure from which new growth arises.[3]
In the strict sense of the term, meaning a stem, "caudex" is most often used with plants that have a different stem morphology from the typical angiosperm dicotyledon stem:[1] examples of this include palms, ferns, and cycads.
The related term caudiciform, literally meaning stem-like, is sometimes used to mean pachycaul, thick-stemmed.[3]
Etymology
The term is from the Latin caudex, a noun meaning "tree trunk".[2][4]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Hickey, M.; King, C. (2001). The Cambridge Illustrated Glossary of Botanical Terms. Cambridge University Press.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Stearn, W.T. (1992). Botanical Latin: History, grammar, syntax, terminology and vocabulary, Fourth edition. David and Charles.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Simpson, M.G. (2010). Plant Systematics: Second Edition. Elsevier Science. ISBN 9780080922089. https://books.google.com/books?id=dj8KRImgyf4C&q=caudex.pages 456 and 695
- ↑ "caudex - definition of caudex by The Free Dictionary". Thefreedictionary.com. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/caudex.
External links
- Bihrmann's Caudiciforms Extensive listing of caudiciforms, images for most species
- Wayne's Word Caudiciform Plants With An Enlarged Caudex
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