flower stalk

A pedicel is a stem that attaches single flowers to the inflorescence. It is the branches or stalks that hold each flower in an inflorescence that contains more than one flower. The stem or branch from the main stem of the inflorescence that holds a group of pedicels is called a peduncle. In the absence of a pedicel, the flowers are described as sessile. The shape of the pedicel has received particular attention in Halloween-varieties of pumpkin or squash plants, where plant breeders are trying to optimize the size and shape of the pedicel for the best “lid” for a “jack-o-lantern”.