Crossword clues for peduncle
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Peduncle \Pe*dun"cle\, n. [Formed fr. (assumed) L. pedunculus, dim. of pes, pedis, a foot: cf. F. p['e]doncule.]
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(Bot.) The stem or stalk that supports the flower or fruit of a plant, or a cluster of flowers or fruits.
Note: The ultimate divisions or branches of a peduncle are called pedicels. In the case of a solitary flower, the stalk would be called a peduncle if the flower is large, and a pedicel if it is small or delicate.
(Zo["o]l.) A sort of stem by which certain shells and barnacles are attached to other objects. See Illust. of Barnacle.
(Anat.) A band of nervous or fibrous matter connecting different parts of the brain; as, the peduncles of the cerebellum; the peduncles of the pineal gland.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1753, from Modern Latin pedunculus "footstalk," diminutive of pes (genitive pedis) "foot" (see foot (n.)).
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context botany English) The axis of an inflorescence; the stalk supporting an inflorescence. 2 (context botany English) A short stalk at the base of a leaf or reproductive structure. 3 (context anatomy English) A bundle of neurons connecting different parts of the brain. 4 (context anatomy English) In arthropods, the base segments of an antenna. 5 (context anatomy English) A stem attaching a mass of tissue (such as a polyp) to the body. 6 (context zoology English) A collection of nerves in the appendage of an animal (such as the tip of a dolphin's tail).
WordNet
n. the thin process of tissue that attaches a polyp to the body
stalk bearing an inflorescence or solitary flower
a bundle of myelinated neurons joining different parts of the brain [syn: cerebral peduncle]
Wikipedia
The term peduncle has several meanings:
- Peduncle (botany), a stalk supporting an inflorescence, which is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed in the flower
- Cerebral peduncle, a band of neurons, resembling a stalk, which connect varied parts of the brain
- Peduncle (anatomy), a stem, through which a mass of tissue is attached to a body
- Caudal peduncle, in fish, the narrow part of the body to which the tail attaches
- Peduncle (arthropods), the base segments of an antenna
- In insect brains, the peduncle connects the lobes of the mushroom bodies to its calyx
- In stalked barnacles, one of two external divisions of the body, a stalk attached to the substrate by cement glands
In botany, a peduncle is a stem supporting an inflorescence, or after fecundation, an infructescence.
The peduncle is a stem, usually green, though some peduncles are more or less florally colored or neutral in color, having no particular pigmentation. In some species, peduncles are leafless, though others bear small leaves, or even cataphylls, at nodes; such leaves generally may be regarded as bracts. The peduncle may be ramified, in which case the ramifications are called pedicels. When an unbranched peduncle has no obvious nodes, rises directly from a bulb or stem, and especially if it rises apparently directly from the ground, it commonly is referred to as a scape.
The acorns of the pedunculate oak are borne on a long peduncle, hence the name of the tree.
A peduncle is an elongated stalk of tissue. Sessility is the state of not having a peduncle; a sessile mass or structure lacks a stalk.
In medicine, a mass such as a cyst or polyp is said to be pedunculated if it is supported by a peduncle.
There are in total three types of peduncles in the cerebellum of the human brain, known as superior cerebellar peduncle, middle cerebellar peduncle, and inferior cerebellar peduncle.
Pedunculated eyes are also the defining attribute of the Stylophthalmine trait found in certain fish larvae. The caudal peduncle is a slightly narrowed part of a fish where the caudal fin meets the spine.
Usage examples of "peduncle".
At the base of the peduncle there is a mass of small cells, forming a welldeveloped pulvinus, which is exteriorly coloured purple and hairy.
The inferior peduncles are the corpora restiformia, previously described, and consist of both sensory and motor filaments.
Whilst the perfect flowers are thus bending down, the whole peduncle curves downwards and increases much in length, until the flowerhead reaches the ground.
Any one who will observe a flowerhead burying itself, will be convinced that the rocking movement, due to the continued circumnutation of the peduncle, plays an important part in the act. Considering that the flowerheads are very light, that the peduncles are long, thin, and flexible, and that they arise from flexible branches, it is incredible that an object as blunt as one of these flowerheads could penetrate the ground by means of the growing force of the peduncle, unless it were aided by the rocking movement.
We therefore protected some flowerheads, similarly secured to sticks, from the light, and although some of them rotted, many of their subpeduncles turned very slowly from their reversed or from their horizontal positions, so as to stand in the normal manner parallel to the upper part of the main peduncle.
Considering that the flowerheads are very light, that the peduncles are long, thin, and flexible, and that they arise from flexible branches, it is incredible that an object as blunt as one of these flowerheads could penetrate the ground by means of the growing force of the peduncle, unless it were aided by the rocking movement.
These taken together suffice to render it probable that all peduncles and subpeduncles circumnutate whilst growing.
With these facts before us, bearing also in mind that the tendrils of not a few plants consist of modified peduncles, we may admit without much doubt that all growing flowerstems circumnutate.
As soon as the pods begin to swell, the peduncles increase much in length and slowly curve downwards, but the short, upper, hooked part straightens itself.
The peduncles can change the direction of their curvature, for if a pot, with plants having their peduncles already bowed downwards, be placed horizontally, they slowly bend at right angles to their former direction towards the centre of the earth.
The pot, in the same position, was next brought back into the light, and after two days there was some bending downwards of the peduncles, and on the fourth day two of them pointed to the centre of the earth, as did the others after an additional day or two.
This pot was then brought back into the light, and after three days the peduncles were considerably bowed downwards.
Considering the great length and thinness of the peduncles and the lightness of the pods, we may conclude that they would not be able to excavate saucerlike depressions in sand or sawdust, or bury themselves in moss, etc.
As this latter movement occurred in complete darkness, and with peduncles arising from upright and from dependent branches, it cannot be due to apheliotropism or to epinasty, but must be attributed to geotropism.
Three very young peduncles had as yet moved only a little downwards, but after an additional 24 h.