Stalagmite

For the elongate mineral formation hanging down from a cave ceiling, see Stalactite. For the type of fungus, see Stalagmites (fungus).
Image showing the six most common speleothems
The "Witch’s Finger" in the Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico

A stalagmite (UK: /ˈstæləɡˌmaɪt/, US: /stəˈlæɡmaɪt/; from Greek σταλαγμίτης (stalagmítēs); from Ancient Greek σταλαγμίας (stalagmías) 'dropping, trickling' and -ίτης (-ítēs) 'one connected to, a member of')[1] is a type of rock formation that rises from the floor of a cave due to the accumulation of material deposited on the floor from ceiling drippings. Stalagmites are typically composed of calcium carbonate, but may consist of lava, mud, peat, pitch, sand, sinter, and amberat (crystallized urine of pack rats).[2][3]

The corresponding formation hanging down from the ceiling of a cave is a stalactite.

  1. ^ σταλαγμίας, Henry George Liddell, Robert Scott, A Greek-English Lexicon, on Perseus.
  2. ^ Larson, Charles (1993). An Illustrated Glossary of Lava Tube Features, Bulletin 87, Western Speleological Survey. p. 56.
  3. ^ Hicks, Forrest L. (1950). "Formation and mineralogy of stalactites and stalagmites" (PDF). 12: 63–72. Retrieved 2013-07-08. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)