Platyclades are flattened, photosynthetic shoots, branches or stems that resemble or perform the function of leaves, as in Homalocladium platycladum and some cactus genera like Opuntia and Schlumbergera.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b6/Centipede_Plant_02_Pengo.jpg/220px-Centipede_Plant_02_Pengo.jpg)
Etymology
editNeo-Latin platycladium; from Greek platy, flat + klados, branch.