Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
periclinal

periclinal

1 9.9
Parallel to the surface of a plant part, like a cell wall
  • adjective
  • /ˌpɛrɪˈklaɪnəl/
  • Specialized
: periclinal
  • A periclinal wall is oriented parallel to the surface of the plant organ.

Examples

  • The periclinal arrangement of the cells helps the plant maintain its structure.

  • Botanists observed a periclinal division that contributed to the thickening of the root.

  • The periclinal cell divisions are crucial for leaf development.

  • In plants, periclinal growth affects the overall shape.

  • In a periclinal arrangement, the layers of cells grow parallel to the surface of the leaf.

  • When studying plant tissue, researchers noted that the periclinal divisions were essential for growth.

  • The researcher explained that periclinal walls help maintain the structure of the plant's exterior.

Surface Forms

periclinal positive

Morphology

periclinal = clinal (opaque) = peri + clin + al

The term is a specialized technical adjective in botany/geology and the components ('peri-' and 'clin-') are not familiar to average B1 learners, so the precise meaning 'parallel to the surface' is not derivable.

Etymology

Periclinal comes from peri- 'around' and cline 'to lean', the same idea you see in incline. So a periclinal surface or cell wall 'leans' around the outer surface and is therefore parallel to that surface.