corm

Term Information

Accession
PO:0025355
Aspect
plant anatomy
Synonyms
narrow: cormel
narrow: cormlet
narrow: pseudobulb
exact: cormo (Spanish)
exact: 球茎 (Japanese)
broad: diaspore
Definition
A shoot system (PO:0009006) that has as parts a short, enlarged stem (PO:0009047) in which the shoot internodes (PO:0005005) do not elongate, and one or more buds (PO:0000055). [source: ISBN:9780881928501]
Comment
May serve as a storage or perennating organ. Usually underground. A corm differs from a bulb (PO:0025356) in that it does not have fleshy leaves or leaf bases but usually has scale leaves or remnants of dry leaf sheaths that form a protective covering around it. May bear remnants or scars of detached leaves. Adventitious roots may develop from the base of a corm, and these may be contractile, pulling the corm into the soil. Examples include Gladiolus and Crocus. The pseudobulb of an orchid is equivalent to a corm. A corm is very similar to a rhizome (PO:0004542) with very short sympodial units, although not all corms have sympodial growth.

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External References

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