Prostratum

Prostratum is a term used primarily in botany and horticulture to describe a plant growth habit in which stems and shoots lie flat on the ground or spread horizontally along the soil, rather than growing upright. The word derives from Latin prostratus, meaning laid flat or spread out. In botanical descriptions, prostratum may appear as an adjective or as part of a species epithet to indicate a prostrate habit.

In taxonomy and cultivation, prostratum is often used to denote ground-cover or creeping forms. It is common in the naming of plants where the habit is a notable characteristic, and it is sometimes used interchangeably with terms like prostrate, creeping, or sprawling, depending on the author and context. Recognizing a prostratum habit helps with identification and landscape planning, as these plants tend to form mats or low-growing carpets.

Prostrate species are well-suited to specific horticultural uses, such as rock gardens, troughs, containers, or slopes where vertical growth is impractical. Their growth form can suppress weeds and reduce soil erosion, but they may require different pruning, containment, or propagation approaches compared with erect taxa. The term emphasizes morphology rather than physiology or environmental tolerance, though a prostrate habit can influence a plant’s light capture and competition dynamics.

In other disciplines, the origin word prostratum is sometimes encountered in more general Latin usage to mean laid flat, but its formal application remains primarily in plant morphology. See also prostrate growth habit, creeping plants, groundcovers, and Latin botanical epithets.