Acaulis
/a-KAW-lis/🏷️ Taxonomy●● Intermediate
Also known as: acaule
A morphological epithet describing a plant that appears to have no stem — leaves and flowers arising directly from the ground or rootstock with no intervening stem visible above soil level. Many rosette-forming and stemless plants carry this epithet. Appears as acaulis (both genders).
Etymology
From Greek a- (without) + kaulos (stem), via Latin acaulis, meaning "without a stem."
Example
“Gentiana acaulis (stemless gentian) and Carlina acaulis (stemless carline thistle) both produce their flowers seemingly straight from the ground, with no visible elongated stem to support them.”