caespitose

Caespitose is a botanical term describing a growth habit in which individuals of a plant species form dense, tufted clumps, with short stems arising from a common base. In caespitose plants, leaves are often basal and short, while flowering stalks rise above the clump, creating a compact, tufted appearance. This habit yields tussocks or cushions and contrasts with rosette, creeping, or mat-forming growth.

Etymology: from Latin caespes, turf; also rendered cespitose. The term is used across botany and mycology to describe clustering patterns.

Occurrence: Caespitose growth is common among many grasses and herbaceous perennials, including various Festuca and Poa species, and among sedges (Carex). It is also used to describe shrubs or herbs that form dense clumps rather than spreading via runners or rhizomes.

Ecology and function: The tufted habit can help with resource capture in shallow or nutrient-poor soils and provides resilience against erosion and disturbance; morphological features include short, densely packed foliage and short clumps that expand primarily by shooting new tillers at the base.

In mycology: The term caespitose also describes fungi whose fruiting bodies occur in dense clusters or tufts rather than singly, as in certain basidiomycetes.