a. Bot. and Zool. [ad. mod.L. stīpiformis, f. L. stīpi- (nom. stīps) collateral form of stīpit- STIPES: see -FORM.] Having the form or character of a stipe: applied esp. to the stems of certain dicotyledonous trees, of simple structure like those of lower classes.
1821. S. F. Gray, Brit. Plants, I. 55. Stem … Stipiform,… growing like those of palm-trees; with a bunch of leaves at top, and bearing the marks where the old leaves have fallen off.
1866. Treas. Bot., 1101/1. Stipiform, having the appearance of the trunk of an endogenous tree; as the papaw and other simple-stemmed exogens.
