peduncle

English
Agave, showing the giant peduncle of its inflorescence
Goose barnacles
(Lepas anatifera), hanging onto their substrate by their peduncles
Human brainstem showing some of the connecting bundles of neurons, structures known as peduncles

Etymology

From Late Latin pedunculus, from pedis, genitive of pēs (“foot”).

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /pɪˈdʌŋ.k(ə)l/[1]
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)

Noun

peduncle (plural peduncles)

  1. (botany) The axis of an inflorescence; the stalk supporting an inflorescence.
  2. (botany) A short stalk at the base of a leaf or reproductive structure.
    • 1992, Rudolf M[athias] Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, New York, N.Y.: Columbia University Press, →ISBN, page 5:
      On fertilization, the archegonia form obyriform calyptrae that are distinctly narrowed at base to form a stalk or peduncle; this does not occur in other Hepaticae.
  3. (anatomy) A bundle of neurons connecting different parts of the brain.
  4. (anatomy) In arthropods, the base segments of an antenna or stalk-like structures such as the peduncles of some barnacles
  5. (anatomy) In vertebrates, the base of any relatively massive anatomical member connected to the body by a narrower section. Cf. caudal peduncle of fishes.
  6. (anatomy) A stem attaching a mass of tissue (such as a polyp) to the body.
  7. (zoology) A collection of nerves in the appendage of an animal (such as the tip of a dolphin's tail).

Translations
anatomy: stem attaching a mass of tissue to the body

References
  1. “peduncle”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

Further reading
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