Stalactites and stalagmites are features of:

Stalactites and stalagmites are depositional landforms characteristic of karst topography, which develops in regions with soluble rocks like limestone [6]. These features, collectively known as speleothems, form within underground caves and caverns [5]. Stalactites are icicle-like formations that hang from the cave ceiling, created as mineral-rich water (primarily calcium carbonate) drips and evaporates [4]. Conversely, stalagmites are mound-like deposits that rise from the cave floor, formed by the accumulation of minerals from water dripping from above [5]. This process is driven by chemical weathering and the subsequent precipitation of minerals when carbon dioxide is released from the water droplets [7]. While other topographies like glacial or volcanic have distinct features (e.g., moraines or lava tubes), the specific formation of these dripstones is a hallmark of the karst landscape [6].

Sources

1. [3] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 17: Major Landforms and Cycle of Erosion > 17.2. Karst Landforms and Cycle of Erosion > p. 226
2. [6] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2589471424000202
3. [1] Certificate Physical and Human Geography , GC Leong (Oxford University press 3rd ed.) > Chapter 8: Limestone and Chalk Landforms > Characteristic Features of a Karst Region > p. 78
4. [5] https://www.nps.gov/subjects/caves/speleothems.htm
5. [2] FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 6: Landforms and their Evolution > Stalactites, Stalagmites and Pillars > p. 53
6. [4] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 13: Types of Rocks & Rock Cycle > Chemically Formed Sedimentary Rocks > p. 171
7. [7] https://www2.bgs.ac.uk/mendips/caveskarst/caveform.htm