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APPW key feature pages

Stem presence

Stems are quite variable in morphology. They may be elongate and obvious, as pictured below, or less recognizable if they are compact as in basalbasal:
(adj) at or pertaining to the base, or point of attachment
rosettes, corms, or bulbs, or as stolons or rhizomes, including those of ferns and aroids. If your specimen looks like it has a stem, you can use this and other stem features.

In this tool, the only taxa that actually do lack stems are the duckweeds (Lemnaceae), the liverworts, and the macroalgaemacroalgae:
(n) (sing. macroalga) large algae; seaweeds
. However, the macroalgaemacroalgae:
(n) (sing. macroalga) large algae; seaweeds
in this tool look plant-like and appear to have stems.

stem(s) present  
stem(s) present
stem(s) absent; plant a thallus or of leaves or leaf-like organs only  
stem(s) absent; plant a thallus or of leaves or leaf-like organs only
APPW key feature pages