'scape' (sense 'stalk') originates from Latin, specifically the word 'scapus', where 'scapus' meant 'shaft, stalk'.

'scape' (from the botanical/structural sense) passed into English via Medieval Latin and Late Latin forms from Latin 'scapus' (itself from Greek), becoming Middle English 'scape' and then modern English 'scape'. The verb sense (related to 'escape') is historically connected to Old French forms of 'escaper' and the prefixing of 'e-'/ 'ex-' to a root meaning 'get away', which produced separate development into modern 'escape'.

Initially it meant 'shaft' or 'stalk' (from Latin), and this specialized into botanical and anatomical senses (a flower stalk; the basal antennal segment). A separate, later verbal sense meaning 'to get away' existed in dialect/archaic usage (related historically to 'escape') but is now rare.