Stalagmite << stuh LAG myt or STAL uhg myt >> is a stone formation that rises up from the floors of caves, especially in limestone caverns. Stalagmites form when water, dripping on the floor from the walls and roofs of the cave, carries with it deposits of calcium carbonate, or calcite. As the water enters the cave’s atmosphere, it loses carbon dioxide and produces calcite. The calcite builds up into colorful stone formations that look like icicles upside down. Similar formations, which hang from the roof of the cave, are called stalactites (see Stalactite). Sometimes stalagmites and stalactites join to form columns or stone curtains against the walls of the cave.
