Complex sentence: The stem is long, and thick at its apex; it is roughly equal in thickness throughout its length, or it may taper somewhat toward the top, though some specimens may appear swollen in the middle (ventricose).
Split into simpler sentences: The stem is long, and thick at its apex. It is roughly equal in thickness throughout its length, or it may taper somewhat toward the top, though some specimens may appear swollen in the middle (ventricose).