exstipulate

exstipulate — adjective

  • exstipulatepositive
  • more exstipulatecomparative
  • most exstipulatesuperlative

1. used for a plant or leaf whose base does not have the small side parts called st

1.adjectiveC2
Definition

used for a plant or leaf whose base does not have the small side parts called stipules

Example

The field guide marked this desert shrub as exstipulate in both photos.

pattern: mark X as exstipulate

Under the lens, Soraya saw exstipulate leaves on the young sapling.

collocation: exstipulate leaves

Common collocations
  • exstipulate leaves
  • exstipulate stem
  • exstipulate species
Synonyms
  • astipulate

    another technical botanical term for lacking stipules

Antonyms
  • stipulate

    used in botany for leaves or stems that do have stipules

Grammar Patterns

exstipulate leaves

an exstipulate species

the stem is exstipulate

Usage Note

Usually used in botany when people describe leaves, stems, or whole species. Distinguish from leafless: an exstipulate plant can still have leaves, but it does not have stipules at the leaf base.

Common Mistakes

An exstipulate stem has no leaves.
An exstipulate stem has leaves but no stipules.
Exstipulate describes the missing stipules, not the absence of leaves.

Word family

  • stipule
    nounC2
  • astipulate
    adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

Exstipulate and astipulate are near-equivalent botanical adjectives. Both say that a leaf or stem lacks stipules, the small appendages that can appear at the leaf base. Stipulate is the opposite term, used when those parts are present. Leafless is different again: it tells you the plant lacks leaves, not stipules. In a plant key, you might read that a shrub has exstipulate leaves, while another species is stipulate. A cactus may be leafless, but it is only exstipulate if the missing feature is specifically the stipule.

astipulatestipulate ↗leafless

Common collocations

Nouns

  • exstipulate leaf
  • exstipulate stem
  • exstipulate species

Phrases

  • be exstipulate
  • mark as exstipulate

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Built from ex-, meaning 'without' or 'out of', and stipule, the botanical name for a small appendage at the base of a leaf. Botanists use exstipulate to label plants or leaves that lack those parts.