Bladoksels

Bladoksels are the leaf axils in botany, referring to the angles between a leaf and the stem where axillary buds are typically found. The term combines the Dutch words blad (leaf) and oksel (armpit), and in plant anatomy it denotes the site where a leaf joins the stem and where growth can occur.

Anatomy and variation: Each bladoksels position hosts one or more axillary buds, meristematic tissue capable of developing into a lateral shoot or, in some species, a flowering cluster. The axil may contain protective structures such as stipules or leaf bases, and, in certain plants, specialized features like nectaries, spines, or bracts can be located there. The prominence and dormancy of axillary buds vary widely among species and habitats.

Function and development: Axillary buds contribute to branching architecture and reproductive timing. Under apical dominance, the main terminal bud inhibits many axillary buds; removing or damaging the terminal bud, or changes in light and temperature, can release these buds to grow. This growth pattern influences plant form, canopy complexity, and flowering strategies, with bladoksels serving as a primary source of new growth in many species.

Ecology and horticulture: In cultivation, pruning often targets bladoksels to manage branching and shape. Axillary buds are also important in propagation, as cuttings can root from new shoots arising from these sites. In some species, leaf axils participate in vegetative or floral architecture that supports adaptation to local environments.

See also: axillary bud, apical dominance, phyllotaxy, plant propagation.