Everything about Branch totally explained
A
branch (
American English: /ˈbɹʷæntʃ/,
British English: /ˈbɹɑːntʃ/) or
tree branch (sometimes referred to in
botany as a
ramus) is a woody structural
member connected to but not part of the central
trunk of a
tree (or sometimes
bush). Large branches are known as
boughs and small branches are known as
twigs.
While branches can be nearly horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, the majority of trees have upwardly diagonal branches.
The term "twig" often refers to a
terminal branch, while "bough" refers only to branches coming directly from the trunk.
Words
Because of the enormous quantity of branches in the world, there are a variety of names in
English alone for them. In general however, unspecific words for a branch (such as
rise and
rame) have been
replaced by the word branch itself.
Specific terms
A bough can also be called a
limb or
arm, and though these are arguably
metaphors, both are widely accepted
synonyms for bough.
A
twig is frequently referred to as a
sprig as well, especially when it has been plucked. Other words for twig include
branchlet,
spray, and
surcle, as well as the technical terms
surculus and
ramulus.
Branches found under larger branches can be called
underbranches.
Some branches from specific trees have their own names, such as
osiers and
withes or
withies, which come from
willows. Often trees have certain words which, in English, are naturally
collocated, such as
holly and
mistletoe, which usually employ the phrase "sprig of" (as in, a "sprig of mistletoe"). Similarly, the branch of a
cherry tree is generally referred to as a "cherry branch", while other such formations (for example, "
acacia branch" or "
orange branch") carry no such alliance. A good example of this versatility is
oak, which could be referred to as variously an "oak branch", an "oaken branch", a "branch of oak", or the "branch of an oak [tree]".
Once a branch has been cut or in any other way removed from its source, it's most commonly referred to as a
stick, and a stick employed for some purpose (such as
walking,
spanking, or
beating) is often called a
rod. Thin, flexible sticks are called
switches,
wands,
shrags, or
vimina (singular
vimen).
History and etymology
In
Old English there are numerous words for branch, including
seten,
stofn,
telgor, and
hrīs. There are also numerous descriptive words, such as
blēd (that is, something that has bled, or "bloomed", out),
bōgincel (literally "little bough"),
ōwæstm (literally "on growth"), and
tūdornes (literally "offspringing"). Numerous other words for twigs and boughs abound, including
tān, which still surves as the "-toe" in mistletoe.
Images
Image:Branch, Karavanke.jpg|Twigs on a tree in Karawanken of Austria.
Image:Branches konary.jpg|The boughs of trees in Konary, Poland.
Image:Emirgan 04589.jpg|Twisted branches in Emirgan Park, Istanbul.
Image:Shaped tree branches Tenerife.JPG|Tree branches in Tenerife, Spain.
Image:BristleconePineBranch.jpg|The branch of a bristlecone pine in the Snake Range of Nevada.
Image:Buddleja davidii branch.jpg|A branch of orange eye.
Image:Quercus acutissima branch.jpg|The branch of a sawtooth oak (Quercus acutissima) in Porto, Portugal.
Image:Nectarine branch surachit.jpg|A nectarine spray.
Image:Juniperus scopulorum branch.jpg|The branch of a Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum).
Image:Acacia greggii branch.jpg|A branch of devil's claw (Acacia greggii) in Las Vegas.
Image:Acacia-seyal-branch.jpg|A branch of red acacia (Acacia seyal) in Baden-Württemberg, Germany.
Image:Acacia constricta branch.jpg|A branch of whitethorn acacia (Acacia constricta) in Las Vegas.
Image:Cherry-branch-02.jpg|A cherry branch in Paris.
Image:Solanum pyracanthon branch.jpg|A branch of porcupine tomato (Solanum pyracanthum) in Krefeld, Germany.
Image:Pinus contorta latifolia branch.jpg|A branch of lodgepole pine in North Dakota.
Image:Longitudinally split willow branch.JPG|A willow bough in Bechtelsville, Pennsylvania.
Image:Pine branch with Marchalina hellenica honeydew.jpg|Turkish pine branches in Athens.
Image:Kolkatta - Botanical Gardens - Banyan Tree branch.jpg|A banyan branch in Calcutta, India.
Image:Ceiba sp branches.jpg|The boughs of a floss silk tree in Rosario, Argentina.
Further Information
Get more info on 'Branch'.
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