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culm

culm

1 9.9
The stem of a grass plant like bamboo or rice
  • noun
  • /kʌlm/
  • Specialized
translation icon : tallo
  • The tall grass swayed gently, its green culm bending under the weight of the morning dew.
  • green culms
  • yellow culms

Examples

  • Formal requests must be approved to cut mature culms.

    Academic text (1991)
  • The jointed, hollow culms are cut by machete directly above the first node to avoid the accumulation of water that might lead to rotting.

    Academic text (1991)
  • Early chroniclers were awed by the immensity and extent of these canebrakes and by the diversity of uses that the native people made of the jointed culms or stems.

    Academic text (1991)
  • PHOTO (BLACK & WHITE): FIG. 7 -- Flattening green guadua culms to form house siding at a bamboo yard near Cali.

    Academic text (1991)
  • You should trim the culms of the grass to encourage healthy growth and prevent overcrowding.

  • In the botanical garden, the striking culms of the bamboo added an exotic touch to the landscape.

How Thick

giant bamboo
  • US
3.5
bamboo
20 1.6
culm
  • Specialized
1 9.9
bamboo shoot
2 2.1

Surface Forms

culm singular
culms plural

Etymology

The word culm comes from the Latin culmus, which meant 'stalk' or 'stem'. So a culm is the stem or stalk of grasses and similar plants.