noun
- flattened stems that function as leaves in certain plants
Usage: botanical term; plural of cladode
Examples
- The prickly pear cactus has green cladodes instead of true leaves.
- Cladodes perform photosynthesis like regular leaves but are actually modified stems.
- The flat, paddle-shaped cladodes of the cactus store water efficiently.
- Botanists can identify cladodes by their stem-like structure and leaf-like function.
- Many desert plants develop cladodes as an adaptation to dry conditions.
- The cladodes of some plants can produce flowers and fruits directly from their surface.