Sympodial branching

[1] A sympodium, also referred to as a sympode or pseudaxis, is the primary shoot, comprising the stronger branches, formed during sympodial growth.

[1] If the sympodium occurs alternately, e.g. on the right and then the left, the branching pattern is called a scorpioid cyme or cincinus (also spelled cincinnus).

[2] Dichotomous substitution may result: two equal laterals continue the main growth.

Continued growth occurs in the rhizome, where a lateral meristem takes over to form another pseudobulb and repeat the process.

This process is evident in the jointed appearance of the rhizome, where each segment is the product of an individual meristem, but the sympodial nature of a stem is not always clearly visible.