stoma
1
8.2
Tiny opening on a leaf or stem that lets air and water vapor pass
- noun
- /ˈstoʊmə/
- Specialized
:
estoma
- After 8-12 weeks, and after conversion had been demonstrated by physiological testing (see below), the covering stoma (if present) was closed, and the neosphincter was activated continuously at a subtetanic frequency (usually 10 Hz).
Examples
-
Each stoma on the surface of the plant regulates water loss and gas exchange.
-
A stoma is associated with a spacious substomatal air chamber through which CO₂ can diffuse to the photosynthetic cells. Bars = 25 µm.
Academic text (1998) -
The leaf's stoma allows oxygen and carbon dioxide to exchange during photosynthesis.
-
Plants breathe through tiny openings called stomata, which consist of many stoma.
Synonyms
pore
vsstoma
2
5.8
A tiny opening on a leaf or stem that lets gases and water vapor pass
is the tiny surface opening term used more generally
9.9
A small hole on a leaf or stem that lets air and water move in and out
is the same tiny opening but described with different wording
Compounds
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word stoma comes from a Greek word stoma meaning 'mouth', so you can picture a tiny mouth on a leaf that opens to let gases and water vapor pass. That's why a stoma is the small pore plants use to exchange air and moisture.