Understanding:
• Undifferentiated cells in the meristems of plants allow indeterminate growth
Meristems are tissues in a plant consisting of undifferentiated cells capable of indeterminate growth
- They are analagous to totipotent stem cells in animals, except that they have specific regions of growth and development
- Meristematic tissue can allow plants to regrow structures or even form entirely new plants (vegetative propagation)
Meristematic tissue can be divided into apical meristems and lateral meristems:
- Apical meristems occur at shoot and root tips and are responsible for primary growth (i.e. plant lengthening)
- Lateral meristems occur at the cambium and are responsible for secondary growth (i.e. plant widening / thickening)
- Apical meristems give rise to new leaves and flowers, while lateral meristems are responsible for the production of bark
Apical vs Lateral Meristems
