Neoteny

Neoteny (Latin: Neotenia) [ Biology ]
Adjective: Neotenic

Dictionary of botanic terminology
index of names


	The neoteny (or neotenic development) is a term in biology that refers to the situation where an organism retains or prolongs throughout its life somatic characteristic which are typical of a juvenile or immature stage.

Neoteny is a type of paedomorphosis which leads to a retardation of somatic development relative to the normal onset of sexual mature features, the juvenile or pre-adult physical characteristics persist into adulthood, resulting in sexually mature individuals with juvenile features.

The word itself is derived from the Latin neotenia, which is a composition of the prefix neo- meaning "young" and the Greek teinein meaning to extend.

Neotenic (Adjective) [ Biology ]

Of or relating to or characterized by neoteny

Reaching sexual maturity while retaining juvenile characteristics; resulting in a permanent, sexually mature organism with juvenile or pre-adult features. The rate of growth of somatic (non-reproductive) parts of the body is slowed whereas development of reproductive organs proceeds normally.

Left: A neotenic cactus (Turbinicarpus valdezianus).
This plant retain throughout its life the juvenile feathery spines typical of the young seedlings of most species of Turbinicarpus also in old sexual mature plants.

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Holdfast roots [ Botany ]
Dictionary of botanic terminology - index of names

Some species of climbing plants develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place.

Climbing plants, like the poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans), Boston ivy (Parthenocissus tricuspidata), and trumpet creeper (Campsis radicans), develop holdfast roots which help to support the vines on trees, walls, and rocks. By forcing their way into minute pores and crevices, they hold the plant firmly in place. Usually the Holdfast roots die at the end of the first season, but in some species they are perennial. In the tropics some of the large climbing plants have hold-fast roots by which they attach themselves, and long, cord-like roots that extend downward through the air and may lengthen and branch for several years until they strike the soil and become absorbent roots.

Major references and further lectures:
1) E. N. Transeau “General Botany” Discovery Publishing House, 1994