1. arranged in or consisting of many rows or layers
Usage: botany; technical
2. having leaves or other organs arranged in multiple vertical rows along a stem
Usage: botany

Examples

• The polystichous arrangement of leaves on the stem allows the plant to maximize light exposure.
• Botanists classified the fern as polystichous based on its leaf distribution pattern.
• The polystichous structure of the flower's petals creates a dense, layered appearance.
• In polystichous plants, organs are organized in more than two vertical rows.
• The polystichous configuration of scales on the pinecone is characteristic of the species.