Garden Tool Set

Word day Thursday: Basipetal

Term and pronunciation Basipetal (Bay-sipit-al)
Etymology From Latin: Base + Petal - with the sense of moving in a specified direction.
 
Meaning
The growth or development from the apex (shoot tip and root tip) to the base. Meaning that the oldest parts are nearest the apex and the youngest parts are near the base. The opposite action is called acropetal where the youngest parts are at the apex.

Usage and examples


Basipetal movement:The plant growth regulator auxin has been shown to prefer basipetal movement.

Basipetal maturation: This is when the flowers mature in a downward fashion from the top of the stem. CRM over at WAB gave Button snakewort (Liatris spicata) as an example of a plant that flowers in this way.

History
The first written usage of basipetal as recorded by the OED is that published by Student in 1869 in reference to basipetal formation of foliary parts.

Bibliography 
"basipetal, adj.". OED Online. December 2012. Oxford University Press. 11 February 2013 <http://www.oed.com/view/Entry/15958?redirectedFrom=basipetal&>.
Allaby, M. (2012) Oxford Dictionary of Plant Sciences, Oxford, Oxford University Press.