Pinnate

Pinnate is a term that originates from the Latin word pinna, meaning "feather". In the field of biology, it is used to describe a certain type of leaf arrangement, where smaller parts of the leaf, known as leaflets, are arranged on either side of the stem, resembling the structure of a feather. This arrangement is also seen in other biological structures such as animal and insect wings, fish fins, and certain types of crystal structures.

Leaf Structure

In botany, a pinnate leaf is a compound leaf that consists of a number of leaflets arranged on either side of a common petiole. The leaflets may be arranged in pairs (paripinnate) or alternately (imparipinnate). If there is a single leaflet at the tip, the leaf is said to be odd-pinnate, while if there is a pair of leaflets at the tip, it is even-pinnate.

Other Uses

In addition to its use in botany, the term pinnate is also used in zoology to describe the arrangement of feathers, fins, or scales. In geology, pinnate is used to describe certain types of crystal formations.

See Also

• Bipinnate
• Tripinnate
• Decussate
• Opposite (botany)
• Alternate (botany)

References

Pinnate Resources
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