noun
- a main stem or axis of a plant that grows continuously from a single apical meristem, with lateral branches arising from it
Usage: botany; technical
Examples
- The monopodium of a pine tree extends upward as the primary trunk.
- In plants with monopodial growth, the central axis remains dominant throughout development.
- The monopodium produces lateral branches at regular intervals along its length.
- Conifers typically exhibit monopodial branching patterns.
- The monopodium differs from sympodial growth, where the main axis is replaced by lateral branches.