Plant Growth and Development

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to plant growth and development, including meristems, growth types, and tissue organization.

Meristems

Regions of tissue in plants where growth occurs, consisting of undifferentiated cells.

Apical Meristems

Meristems located at the tips of roots and shoots that facilitate primary growth by elongating these structures.

Primary Growth

Growth that results in the lengthening of stems and roots, primarily through apical meristems.

Lateral Meristems

Meristems that add thickness to woody plants, responsible for secondary growth.

Vascular Cambium

A type of lateral meristem that produces secondary xylem (wood) and secondary phloem.

Cork Cambium

A lateral meristem that replaces the epidermis with a tougher periderm in stems and trunks.

Stele

The vascular system of a root or a stem, organized into a vascular cylinder in angiosperms.

Endodermis

The innermost layer of the cortex in plant roots, surrounding the vascular cylinder.

Axillary Buds

Bud structures that develop from meristematic cells at the bases of leaf primordia.

Mesophyll

The ground tissue in a leaf that is responsible for photosynthesis, consisting of palisade and spongy mesophyll.

Secondary Growth

Growth that adds girth to stems and roots, characteristic of gymnosperms and many eudicots.

Veins

The vascular bundles in a leaf that transport water, nutrients, and sugars, functioning as a leaf's skeleton.

Palisade Mesophyll

The upper layer of ground tissue in a leaf, where photosynthesis primarily occurs.

Spongy Mesophyll

The loosely arranged lower layer of ground tissue in a leaf, facilitating gas exchange.

Vascular Bundles

Clusters of xylem and phloem in plants, organized differently in eudicots (ring) compared to monocots (scattered).