What is Difference Between Petiole and Pedicel

The Major Difference Between Petiole and Pedicel is that the pedicel is the stalk of an individual flower while the petiole is the stalk of a leaf.

In botany, petiole and pedicel are two different terms, we use these two terms to refer to two different stalks. Angiosperms are flowering plants that have a flower as their reproductive structure.

A flower is consist of different parts including the petals, sepals, pistil, anther, pedicel, ovary, etc. A pedicel is a stalk that joins an individual flower to the stem or to the peduncle(Dandy in Urdu) of an inflorescence. Plant leaves are sites of food production in plants, that are prepared by the process of photosynthesis. Leaves are joined to the stem via petioles(leaves stalk).

What are the Similarities Between Pedicel and Petiole?

• The pedicel and petiole are both two stalk-like structures that hold or maintain another important structure of the plants.
• Both of them perform important functions in plants.

What is the Difference Between Petiole and Pedicel?

The petiole is a structure that joins the leaves to the plant stem while the Pedicel is a stalk that joins individual flowers to the stem or to the peduncle(Dandy in Urdu) of an inflorescence. Furthermore, petioles are the pipelines or the way, that transport food produced by green leaves to the other plant parts.

Petiole also directs the leaves toward the sunlight for capturing more light for photosynthesis. On the other hand, pedicels are involved in the exposure of flowers to the sun and to pollinators(Pollinating agents). The difference between petiole and pedicel in tabular form is given below.

5 major differences between Petiole and Pedicel

1. Function: Petioles are the stems that attach a leaf to the main stem of a plant, while pedicels are the stems that attach a flower or fruit to the main stem or a branch.
2. Location: Petioles are found on leaves, while pedicels are found on flowers and fruit.
3. Size: Petioles are generally longer than pedicels, as they need to connect the leaf to the main stem. Pedicels, on the other hand, are shorter and only need to connect the flower or fruit to the main stem or a branch.
4. Structure: Petioles are typically thin and flexible, while pedicels can vary in structure depending on the type of plant. Some pedicels are thin and flexible, while others are thick and rigid.
5. Importance: Petioles are important for the transport of water and nutrients from the main stem to the leaf, while pedicels are important for the reproduction of the plant by supporting and positioning the flowers or fruit for pollination and seed dispersal.

What is Petiole?

• Leaves are the sites that can produce carbohydrates through the process of photosynthesis in plants. Hence, they are very important structures like flowers or other plant parts. There are many leaves present on a single plant.
• The petiole is the stalk or a structure that connects or joined a leaf to the stem. It is also called leafstalk.
• Petiole holds or supports the leaf blade. Petioles due to their green in colour or due to the presence of chloroplast, are able to produce foods via photosynthesis.
• Furthermore, petioles are also responsible for the leaf falls in deciduous plants during the leaf fall season.
• The length of the petiole can vary in different plants or in different plant species.
• They can be long, short or sometimes completely absent as seen in monocots that have sheathing leaves.
• If petioles are absent then these leaves joined with the stem without petioles, and we call those leaves sessile leaves.

• Petioles provide a way for the transport of food, water, etc. When leaves produce food by photosynthesis, then it is transported to the other parts of the plant through the petiole.
• Furthermore, the ingredients or the compounds that are necessary to carry out photosynthesis by leaves are supplied/provided via the petioles.
• And also, petioles play an important role in directing leaves toward the sunlight for capturing more sunlight for photosynthesis.

What is Pedicel?

• A pedicel is a small stalk-like structure that joins an individual(single) flower to the stem of the plant. And also a pedicel joined a single flower in an inflorescence to its peduncle(base of the flower).
• If a flower attaches without a pedicel to the plant stem or peduncle, then we call it as s sessile flower.
• There are many pedicels in an inflorescence that are joining to a peduncle.
• Pedicel length may vary within one inflorescence. For example, in raceme-type inflorescence, pedicel lengths are different giving it an excellent shape, it also depends upon the type of specie.

• The major function of the pedicel is in holding an individual (single) flower. And also it helps to expose the flowers to sunlight and pollinators(pollinating agents).
• When the flowers are visible to pollinators, they will attract them for pollination, and flowers’ aroma (smell) will reach the pollinators easily.

Summary – Petiole vs Pedicel

The petiole is present in the leaf stalk that connects the leaf blade to the stem. The pedicel is present in the flower stalk which joined the flower to the stem or to the peduncle. Both types of stalks are really or much important in plants.

Petiole facilitates the transportation or the transport of things toward and away from the leaves. Due to the presence of Pedicels flowers are visible to pollinators.

Reference:

1.Study.com, Study.com. Available here  
2.“Pedicel (Botany).” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 27 July 2018. Available here

Image Courtesy:

1. Acacia koa with phyllode between the branch and the compound leaves” By Wmpearl – Own work, (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia 
2. ” Delphinium nuttallianum 15498″By Walter Siegmund (talk) – Own work, (CC BY 2.5) via Commons Wikimedia  
3. Difference Between Petiole and Pedicel in Tabular Form via Differencebetween