branching

shoot system

Learn about this topic in these articles:

angiosperms

  • snake gourd flower
    In angiosperm: Stems

    Branching in angiosperms may be dichotomous or axillary. In dichotomous branching, the branches form as a result of an equal division of a terminal bud (i.e., a bud formed at the apex of a stem) into two equal branches that are not derived from axillary…

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growth and development

  • fern life cycle
    In plant development: Branching of the shoot

    The shoots of most vascular plants branch according to a consistent plan, with each new axis arising in the angle between a leaf and a stem—that is, in a leaf axil. In some plants, buds may also form from the older…

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trees

  • giant sequoias
    In tree: The anatomy and organization of wood

    Branching is a significant characteristic in trees. Most conifers form a well-defined dominant trunk with smaller lateral branches (excurrent branching). Many angiosperms show for some part of their development a well-defined central axis, which then divides continually to form a crown of branches of similar…

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