stipe

[ stahyp ]

noun

1. Botany, Mycology. a stalk or slender support, as the petiole of a fern frond, the stem supporting the pileus of a mushroom, or a stalklike elongation of the receptacle of a flower.
2. Zoology. a stemlike part, as a footstalk; stalk.

stipe

/ staɪp /

noun

1. a stalk in plants that bears reproductive structures, esp the stalk bearing the cap of a mushroom
2. the stalk that bears the leaflets of a fern or the thallus of a seaweed
3. zoology any stalklike part; stipes

stipe

/ stīp /

1. A supporting stalk or stemlike structure, especially the stalk of a pistil, the petiole of a fern frond, or the stalk that supports the cap of a mushroom.

Word History and Origins

Origin of stipe¹

1775–85; < French < Latin stīpes post, tree trunk or branch, log

Word History and Origins

Origin of stipe¹

C18: via French from Latin stīpes tree trunk; related to Latin stīpāre to pack closely; see stiff

Example Sentences

The stipe, or stem, attaches to the holdfast and supports the blades, which typically float in the water, thanks to air bladders.

From Science Daily

To study this, a team of Japanese researchers inserted subdermal needle electrodes into the caps and stipes of a type of mushroom called Laccaria bicolor.

From Salon

If it's a mushroom, you might wanna cut off a stipe and the cap and dry it.

From Scientific American

The current American flag, which features 50 stars and 13 stipes to represent each U.S. state and the original British colonies that declared their independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain.

From Fox News

Unlike plants, which divide their mass more evenly, kelps are about 80% blade, with the rest of their mass split between the holdfast and the stipe.

From Science Magazine