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Name: Florence
Status: student
Grade: 9-12
Location: Outside U.S.
Country: Hong Kong
Date: Spring 2012
Question:
I am wondering if lateral meristem exists in non-woody plant. If there is, where is it located? I've just learnt that there are two types of meristem in plants. One is apical meristem and one is lateral meristem. But, the book only mentioned that lateral meristem is found between xylem and phloem in woody plants. I've tried to find it through Internet but I couldn't find any answer.


Replies:
Yes, some herbaceous plants have lateral meristem tissues: see

http://www.uic.edu/classes/bios/bios100/labs/plantanatomy.htm

http://www.jstor.org/stable/4354165

Sincerely, Anthony R. Brach, PhD Missouri Botanical Garden/Harvard University Herbaria

Monocots generally do not have secondary growth. However, they may have a primary thickening meristem that increases stem girth. Technically, this "lateral meristem" is really derived from the apical meristem. Monocots like palms are subject to anomalous secondary growth, specifically, diffuse secondary growth. This is not truly meristematic like the cambium in woody dicots though.

Dr. Tim Durham Undergraduate Studies & University Colloquium Department of Biological Sciences Florida Gulf Coast University


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