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(1) Determinate growth  [ Botany - Biology ]
Adverb:  Determinately
Noun: Determinateness

Dictionary of botanic terminology
index of names

     
  In biology determinate growth means not continuing to grow indefinitely. Determinate growth describe a more or less rapid growth to a mature conclusive size, with no growth thereafter like in the animals and leaves that stop growing at the reaching of the adult final condition  
     
Most plant structure (like leaves, flowers, fruit, seed,  and a lot of other organs too) have a determinate, limited growth whit a definite final shape. That is they are genetically programmed to expand for a limited time to the reach of a certain size, then stop growing.

This determinate growth is in stark contrast to the indeterminate (virtually unlimited) growth of roots and stems, which have not a precisely established limit of growth fixed in advance (indeterminate growth).
Some exception regards – for example - the determinate growth pattern of segmented stem of certain cactus and the determined growth of root in many monocotyledons.

[from Latin "determinatus", past participle of the verb  "determinare", to determine)
(2) Determinate inflorescence (Synonym: Cymose)     [ Botany ]
     
  An determinate inflorescence or cymose is type of inflorescence terminating in a flower and blossoming in a sequence beginning with the uppermost or central flower; hence cymose means not continuing indefinitely at the tip of an axis, having a determinate growth  
     

 


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Holdfast roots  [ Botany  ]

Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

 
     
  Some species of climbing plants develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place.  
     
Climbing plants, like the poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), and trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans),  develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place. Usually the Holdfast roots die at the end of the first season, but in some species they are perennial. In the tropics some of the large climbing plants have hold-fast roots by which they attach themselves, and long, cord-like roots that extend downward through the air and may lengthen and branch for several years until they strike the soil and become absorbent roots.

Major references and further lectures:
1) E. N. Transeau “General Botany” Discovery Publishing House, 1994
     

 

 

 

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