pedicellate

Pedicellate is an adjective used in biology to describe structures that have a pedicel, a small stalk that attaches a floral or fruit organ to the main axis. In botany, a pedicel supports individual flowers within an inflorescence and positions them for pollination. Flowers described as pedicellate have a distinct stalk separating the flower from the receptacle or inflorescence axis, whereas sessile flowers lack a pedicel and are attached directly to the axis. The length and rigidity of pedicels vary among species and can influence how flowers are displayed to pollinators, as well as the development and detachment of fruits.

Pedicellate fruit attach to the plant via a pedicel, enabling separation from the main plant at maturity. The pedicel often plays a role in fruit dispersal, orientation, and resource allocation during development. In many plant groups, the presence or absence of pedicels is a notable character for systematic or descriptive purposes.

Outside botany, the term is less common but can appear in zoological or anatomical contexts to describe structures bearing pedicellariae or similar stalked features. Pedicellariae are small, jaw-like appendages found on some echinoderms that can function in defense or cleaning, and a body part may be described as pedicellate if it bears such structures. The overarching meaning in all uses is “bearing a pedicel” or “having a stalk.”