Pinnate
In biology, pinnate is a term used to describe feather-like or many-divided features arise from both sides of a common axis in plants or animals.
From the french word pinna (feather), the word is in many cases synonymous with the term pectinate.
Botanically, the term describes once-divided leaves comprising leaflets that are arranged on both sides of a petiole, a feature displayed by many palms (notable the feather palms) and most cycads. Pinnate plants are sometimes known as "feather-leaved".
Some species of fern also sport pinnate fronds, although others can be bipinnate, tripinnate or simple.
The leaflets that comprise a pinnate (or bipannate) leaf are known as pinnae or pinnules.
See also: paripinnate, imparipinnate, bipinnate, tripinnate, palmate, costapalmate, simple
The fish Platax pinnatus is known as the pinnate spadefish or pinnate batfish.
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