Glossary: Stem / root structures

Corm A swollen underground bulblike structure - but actually part of a stem. Did you know? A corm is solid inside, unlike a bulb. Crocus and gladiolus grow from corms.

Culm The hollow stem of a plant in the grass family. Did you know? Bamboo culms can grow extremely fast, sometimes adding several feet in a single day under ideal conditions.

Internode The portion of a stem between two nodes. This feature helps describe plant support, storage, water movement, or vegetative spread. Did you know? Leggy houseplants have long internodes because stems stretch toward light in low-light conditions.

Leader The main upward growing stem of a single-trunked tree or shrub

Leggy With long, floppy stems, usually due to insufficient light. Term often applied to houseplants.

Leptomorph Reproducing by means of runners - as in running bamboos Did you know? Running bamboos spread by leptomorph rhizomes and may need underground barriers to keep them contained.

Node A point on a stem where leaves are or were attached Did you know? Plant cuttings root best when a node is included because nodes contain active growth tissue.

Pith The spongelike substance in the center of a stem. This feature helps describe plant support, storage, water movement, or vegetative spread.

Prickle A sharp outgrowth of the epidermis or bark, different from a thorn or spine. Did you know? Rose “thorns” are prickles, which arise from the outer stem tissue rather than being modified branches.