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Stilkur trésins er þykkari en sá jurtarinnar.

Stilkur trésins er þykkari en sá jurtarinnar.
The stem of the tree is thicker than that of the herb.
From Lesson 376:Pronominal substitution (sá)·Icelandic

Questions & Answers about Stilkur trésins er þykkari en sá jurtarinnar.

Why do we use sá here, and why is it in the masculine form?
sá translates to "that" in this context and is used to avoid repeating the word stilkur (stem). Because stilkur is a masculine noun, the pronoun replacing it must also be masculine.
Why is sá in the nominative case rather than the accusative?
When making comparisons with en (than), the case of the second item matches its role in the implied second half of the sentence. Since we are comparing the subject (stilkur) to another subject ("than that of the herb [is]"), sá must also be in the nominative case.
Why do we need the definite articles on the genitive words trésins and jurtarinnar?
Icelandic uses the definite article here to specify "of the tree" and "of the herb". If you dropped the articles and used the bare genitive forms trés and jurtar, it would change the meaning to "the stem of a tree is thicker than that of an herb".
Can I just repeat the noun and say en stilkur jurtarinnar?
Yes, you can. It is perfectly grammatical, but repeating the same noun twice in one sentence can sound a bit clunky. Using sá followed by a genitive phrase is the natural, elegant way to express this, just like saying "that of" in English.

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