1997年，J.W.Turkey发明了一种方法，可以不用分组次数分布表来表示众多的数据，这种方法就是茎叶图。
In 1997, J.W.Turkey developed a method to represent large numbers of data without grouping frequency distributions: stem and leaf display.
茎叶图（stem and leaf display)
在茎叶图中，所有的数据被分为两部分：第一位数字作为“茎”，第二位数字作为“叶”，它通过将数据按照数值大小排列，构成一个类似于数字树的图形，以展示数据的分布情况。
All the data is divided into two parts in the stem and leaf dispaly: the first digit as “stem” and the second digit as “leaf”. It showed the distribution of the data by arranging it in order of numerical size to form a graph similar to a number tree.
茎叶图和次数分布图有类似之处，如茎叶图中的“茎”一栏的数值对应次数分布图中的分组区间，茎叶图拥有次数分布图的直观特性，同时在茎叶图中，我们可以直观地看到所有的数据，这是茎叶图的优势。
The stem and leaf display is similar to the frequency distribution graph. For example, the values in the “stem” column in the stem and leaf display correspond to the group intervals in the frequency distribution graph. The stem and leaf display has the intuitive characteristics of the frequency distribution graph, and all the data can be visually seen, which is the advantage of the stem and leaf display.
茎叶图虽然很有用处，但是我们一般将其视作对数据进行初步处理的一种方法，在正式的报告中，一般不使用茎叶图。
While useful, the stem and leaf display is generally viewed as a way to do some preliminary processing of the data. The stem and leaf display is generally not used in formal reports.