noun
- A small pore or opening in the bark of a woody plant that allows gas exchange between the interior tissues and the atmosphere.
Usage: botanical term; typically appears as a raised dot or line on the stem or branch
Examples
- The lenticels on the birch tree's white bark are visible as dark horizontal lines.
- Gas exchange in woody plants occurs through lenticels in the bark.
- Young stems often have more prominent lenticels than older branches.
- Lenticels allow the plant to breathe even when covered by protective bark tissue.
- Botanists examine lenticels to identify different tree species.