ACROPETAL Meaning and
Definition
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Acropetal is an adjective used to describe a direction or pattern of growth or development in plants and organisms. The term originates from the Greek words "acro," meaning top or highest, and "petalon," referring to a petal or leaf.
In botany, acropetal relates to the direction of growth where new tissues or organs develop from the base towards the apex or tip of a structure. This means that the younger or more recently formed structures are positioned closer to the base, while the older or more mature structures are located closer to the apex. For instance, in a plant stem, acropetal growth would indicate that the younger leaves or flower buds are found at the base, while the older leaves or flowers are positioned towards the tip.
The acropetal pattern of growth can also be observed in the arrangement of petals in a flower blossom. In this context, the outermost petals are generally the first to develop, while the innermost petals are the last to emerge.
Furthermore, the acropetal direction can be observed in the movement of certain fluids within organisms, such as the transportation of water and nutrients through the xylem tissue in plants. In this case, acropetal flow refers to the upward movement of fluids from the roots towards the leaves or other aerial parts of the plant.
Overall, acropetal refers to the progression or flow from the base or lower end to the apex or higher end of a structure, whether it pertains to growth, development, or fluid movement.
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In a direction toward the summit; basifugal.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Common Misspellings for ACROPETAL
- zcropetal
- scropetal
- wcropetal
- qcropetal
- axropetal
- avropetal
- afropetal
- adropetal
- aceopetal
- acdopetal
- acfopetal
- actopetal
- ac5opetal
- ac4opetal
- acripetal
- acrkpetal
- acrlpetal
- acrppetal
- acr0petal
Etymology of ACROPETAL
The word "acropetal" is derived from two Greek roots: "acro" meaning "top" or "peak", and "petalos" meaning "leaf" or "spread".
In botanical terminology, "acropetal" refers to the direction of growth or movement from the base to the apex. Specifically, it describes the pattern in which plant organs such as leaves, flowers, or fruit develop from the bottom towards the top of a stem or axis.
Similar spelling words for ACROPETAL
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