noun
- tiny pores on the surface of leaves and stems that allow gas exchange and water vapor to pass through
Usage: biology; plural of stoma
Examples
- The stomata open during the day to allow carbon dioxide to enter the leaf.
- Plants close their stomata at night to conserve water.
- Guard cells control the opening and closing of stomata.
- Desert plants have fewer stomata to reduce water loss.
- The microscope revealed hundreds of stomata on the leaf surface.
- Stomata are essential for photosynthesis and transpiration.