hypostomatic
|hy-po-sto-ma-tic|
🇺🇸
/ˌhaɪpoʊstəˈmætɪk/
🇬🇧
/ˌhaɪpəʊstəˈmætɪk/
stomata on leaf underside
Etymology
'hypostomatic' originates from Neo-Latin 'hypostomaticus', formed from Greek 'hypo-' meaning 'under' and Greek 'stoma' meaning 'mouth' or 'opening'.
'hypostomatic' changed from Neo-Latin 'hypostomaticus' used in botanical/medical Latin and was adopted into English scientific usage as 'hypostomatic' in the 19th century.
Initially it meant 'relating to stomata on the lower surface (under) of a leaf,' and this specialized botanical meaning has been retained in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
having stomata predominantly or exclusively on the lower (abaxial) surface of a leaf.
Many shade-adapted plants are hypostomatic, with stomata concentrated on the underside of their leaves.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/05 06:24