matplotlib.axes.Axes.stem

Axes.stem(*args, linefmt=None, markerfmt=None, basefmt=None, bottom=0, label=None, use_line_collection=True, orientation='vertical', data=None)[source]

Create a stem plot.

A stem plot draws lines perpendicular to a baseline at each location locs from the baseline to heads, and places a marker there. For vertical stem plots (the default), the locs are x positions, and the heads are y values. For horizontal stem plots, the locs are y positions, and the heads are x values.

Call signature:

stem([locs,] heads, linefmt=None, markerfmt=None, basefmt=None)

The locs-positions are optional. The formats may be provided either as positional or as keyword-arguments.

Parameters:

locsarray-like, default: (0, 1, ..., len(heads) - 1) For vertical stem plots, the x-positions of the stems. For horizontal stem plots, the y-positions of the stems. headsarray-like For vertical stem plots, the y-values of the stem heads. For horizontal stem plots, the x-values of the stem heads. linefmtstr, optional A string defining the color and/or linestyle of the vertical lines: Character Line Style '-' solid line '--' dashed line '-.' dash-dot line ':' dotted line Default: 'C0-', i.e. solid line with the first color of the color cycle. Note: Markers specified through this parameter (e.g. 'x') will be silently ignored (unless using use_line_collection=False). Instead, markers should be specified using markerfmt. markerfmtstr, optional A string defining the color and/or shape of the markers at the stem heads. Default: 'C0o', i.e. filled circles with the first color of the color cycle. basefmtstr, default: 'C3-' ('C2-' in classic mode) A format string defining the properties of the baseline. orientationstr, default: 'vertical' If 'vertical', will produce a plot with stems oriented vertically, otherwise the stems will be oriented horizontally. bottomfloat, default: 0 The y/x-position of the baseline (depending on orientation). labelstr, default: None The label to use for the stems in legends. use_line_collectionbool, default: True If True, store and plot the stem lines as a LineCollection instead of individual lines, which significantly increases performance. If False, defaults to the old behavior of using a list of Line2D objects. This parameter may be deprecated in the future.

Returns:

StemContainer The container may be treated like a tuple (markerline, stemlines, baseline)

Notes

See also

The MATLAB function stem which inspired this method.

Note

In addition to the above described arguments, this function can take a data keyword argument. If such a data argument is given, every other argument can also be string s, which is interpreted as data[s] (unless this raises an exception).

Objects passed as data must support item access (data[s]) and membership test (s in data).

Examples using matplotlib.axes.Axes.stem

Legend Demo

3D stem