– Description:
– Petiole is a stalk that attaches a leaf to the plant stem.
– Petiolate leaves may have long or short leaf stalks.
– Sessile leaves attach directly to the stem without a stalk.
– In compound leaves, leaflets are attached to a continuation of the petiole called the rachis.
– Some plants have flattened and widened petioles called phyllodes that serve as leaves.
– Longest:
– The royal waterlily’s petiole can reach up to 23ft in length.
– Etymology:
– “Petiole” comes from Latin “petiolus,” meaning little foot or stem.
– It is an alternative diminutive of “pes,” which means foot.
– The regular diminutive “pediculus” is also used for foot stalk.
– See also:
– Hyponastic response.
– Pedicel.
– References:
– Beentje, H. (2010) The Kew plant glossary.
– Mauseth, James D (2003) Botany: An Introduction to Plant Biology.
– Capon, Brian (July 2022) Botany for Gardeners: An Introduction to the Science of Plants.
– Stace, C. A. (2010) New Flora of the British Isles.
– Heywood, V.H.; Brummitt, R.K.; Culham, A.; Seberg, O. (2007) Flowering plant families of the world.
In botany, the petiole (/ˈpiːti.oʊl/) is the stalk that attaches the leaf blade to the stem. It is able to twist the leaf to face the sun, producing a characteristic foliage arrangement (spacing of blades), and also optimizing its exposure to sunlight. Outgrowths appearing on each side of the petiole in some species are called stipules. The terms petiolate and apetiolate are applied respectively to leaves with and without petioles.
