1. A type of vascular cylinder in plants consisting of a network of vascular bundles arranged around a central pith, characteristic of ferns and some other plants.
Usage: botanical term; also called a dictyostelic stele

Examples

• The dictyostele of ferns allows for efficient distribution of water and nutrients throughout the plant.
• In cross-section, a dictyostele appears as a network of vascular bundles rather than a solid cylinder.
• Botanists distinguish between different stele types, including the dictyostele found in many ferns.
• The dictyostele represents an advanced form of vascular organization in pteridophytes.