noun
- Flattened or modified stems that resemble and function as leaves, found in certain plants such as asparagus and some cacti.
Usage: botanical term; plural form; singular is phylloclade; also called cladodes
Examples
- The asparagus plant produces phylloclades that look like fine needles.
- In some desert plants, phylloclades have evolved to reduce water loss.
- Botanists study phylloclades to understand how plants adapt their stems for photosynthesis.
- The green phylloclades of the ruscus plant perform the same function as true leaves.
- Unlike regular leaves, phylloclades are modified stem tissue.