| Type | Key Features | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herbaceous | Soft, green, flexible | Support & photosynthesis | Tomato, Grass |
| Woody | Hard, thick, brown bark | Strong support | Trees, Shrubs |
| Reduced Stem | Very small, disc-like | Supports swollen roots | Radish, Carrot |
| Caudex / Columnar | Tall, unbranched, leaves at top | Storage & support | Coconut, Palm |
| Culm | Hollow internodes, solid nodes | Support | Bamboo |
| Type | Structure | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tendril | Thin, coiled | Climbing | Grapevine, Cucumber |
| Thorn | Hard, pointed | Protection | Citrus, Bougainvillea |
| Phylloclade | Flattened/cylindrical green stem | Photosynthesis & water storage | Cactus, Opuntia |
| Cladode | Leaf-like green stem (1–2 internodes) | Photosynthesis | Ruscus |
| Bulbil | Fleshy bud | Vegetative reproduction | Dioscorea |
| Type | Growth Pattern | Main Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Runner | Horizontal, roots at nodes | Vegetative propagation | Strawberry, Grass |
| Stolon | Grows upward then bends to soil | New plant formation | Mint, Jasmine |
| Offset | Short, thick, aquatic | Vegetative propagation | Pistia, Eichhornia |
| Sucker | From underground part, grows upward | New plant formation | Chrysanthemum, Banana |
| Type | Structure | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rhizome | Horizontal underground stem | Storage & reproduction | Ginger, Turmeric, Banana |
| Tuber | Swollen stem end with "eyes" | Food storage | Potato |
| Bulb | Small stem + fleshy leaves | Storage | Onion, Garlic |
| Corm | Swollen vertical stem | Storage | Colocasia, Zaminkand |
| Feature | Rhizome | Tuber | Bulb | Corm |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Growth Direction | Horizontal | Swollen end | Disc-like | Vertical |
| Nodes & Internodes | Present | Present | Very reduced | Present |
| Example | Ginger | Potato | Onion | Colocasia |