Stengelorgaan

Stengelorgaan is a term used in Dutch botany to denote any organ that originates from the plant axis, i.e., from the stem (stengel). It is used to distinguish structures that are borne by the stem from those that arise from the root system. In practice, stengelorganen include parts attached to the stem such as leaves (bladeren) at nodes, axillary buds, and the stalks of reproductive structures (bloeiwijzen) and individual flowers on the stem, including peduncles and pedicels. Some classifications also regard modified stems themselves, such as stolons or tubers, as stengelorganen because they are derived from the stem axis and perform axial functions.

The concept is relevant to the study of plant architecture and development, including how leaves and flowers are arranged along the stem and how stems contribute to growth and reproduction. The term is more common in descriptive morphology and in older botanical literature. In modern terminology, botanists frequently use more specific terms for each structure (for example, blad for leaf, bloem for flower, bloeiwijze for inflorescence) and refer to the stem as the axis, with its borne organs identified accordingly.

See also: plant morphology, organ (botany), inflorescence, phyllotaxis, axil, node.