stipule

plant

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

Tendrils Curling tendrils of catbrier (*Smilax rotundifolia*). The stipules elongate and coil around other plants for support.

A stipule is one of a pair of small, typically leaflike appendages found at the base of the petiole in many plants. These structures can sometimes resemble scales, spines, or glands. Stipules often develop before the rest of the leaf and protect the young blade, usually being shed as the leaf matures. The term "stipuliferous" describes something that bears or produces stipules. A "stipel" refers specifically to the stipule of a leaflet.1234

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

angiosperm
Leaves
…of a leaf base, two stipules, a petiole, and a blade (lamina). The leaf base is the slightly expanded area where the leaf attaches to the stem. The paired stipules, when present, are located on each side of the leaf base and may resemble scales, spines, glands, or leaflike structures.…
Read More
…of a leaf base, two stipules, a petiole, and a blade (lamina). The leaf base is the slightly expanded area where the leaf attaches to the stem. The paired stipules, when present, are located on each side of the leaf base and may resemble scales, spines, glands, or leaflike structures.…
Read More

Fabales
Characteristic morphological features
Stipules, a pair of appendages subtending the leaf petiole, are usually present.
Read More
Stipules, a pair of appendages subtending the leaf petiole, are usually present.
Read More

Myrtales
Characteristic morphological features
…the families in the order, stipules are diminutive, only rarely reaching a length of more than a few millimetres; they are absent in Combretaceae, Onagraceae, and Melastomataceae. The upper leaves of Trapa and some Ludwigia species have inflated petioles that act as a float, while the submerged leaves are finely…
Read More
…the families in the order, stipules are diminutive, only rarely reaching a length of more than a few millimetres; they are absent in Combretaceae, Onagraceae, and Melastomataceae. The upper leaves of Trapa and some Ludwigia species have inflated petioles that act as a float, while the submerged leaves are finely…
Read More