Scape (botany)

A scape is a leafless peduncle or stalk arising from the ground or a subterranean stem, such as a bulb, corm, or rhizome, and bearing one or more flowers. It is a characteristic feature of certain plant families, including the Amaryllidaceae and Liliaceae.

Scapes differ from ordinary stems in that they are typically devoid of leaves and bracts (except sometimes at the inflorescence). The flowers on a scape are generally aggregated into an inflorescence, which can be a single flower (as in some Tulipa species) or a complex arrangement of multiple flowers (such as an umbel in many Allium species). The scape's primary function is to elevate the flower(s) above the surrounding vegetation, facilitating pollination by wind or animals.

The term "scape" can also be used more loosely to describe any long, leafless stalk that supports a flower or inflorescence, even if it doesn't originate directly from the ground. However, the strict botanical definition emphasizes the origin from a basal, subterranean structure and the absence of leaves along the stalk's length.