stipule n : a small leafy outgrowth at the base of a leaf or its stalk; usually occurring in pairs and soon shed

English

Etymology

Latin for "stubble"

Pronunciation

IPA: /ˈstɪpjuːl/

Noun

1. Basal appendage of a typical leaf of a flowering plant, usually appearing paired beside the petiole although sometimes absent or highly modified.

Derived terms

• stipulate (adjective)

In botany, stipule (Latin stipula: straw, stalk) is a term coined by Linnaeus which refers to outgrowths borne on either side of the base of a leafstalk (the petiole). A pair of stipules is considered part of the anatomy of the leaf of a typical flowering plant, although in many species the stipules are inconspicuous or entirely absent (and the leaf is then termed exstipulate).

Stipules are morphologically variable and might appear as glands, scales, hairs, spines, or laminar (leaf-like) structures. A relationship exists between the anatomy of the stem node and the presence or absence of stipules. Most plants with trilacunar nodes have stipules; species with unilacunar nodes lack stipules (Sinnott and Bailey, 1914, cited in Esau, 1953).

References

Notes

General references

• Esau, K. 1953. Plant Anatomy. Second Edition. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York, London, Sidney. 767 pp.
• Sinnott, E. W. and I. W. Bailey. 1914. Investigations on the phylogeny of the angiosperms. 3. Nodal anatomy and the morphology of stipules. Amer. J. Bot.,1: 441-453.

External links

• Stipules and stipels