Question

Vibha claims to her friend Neha that, “Meristematic cells are located only at the root and shoot apices”. What do you think about this statement? What question can Neha ask Vibha to help her understand further if the statement is incorrect?

Answer 1

Vibha’s statement is incorrect. Meristematic tissue, such as apical meristem, is found at the tips of roots and shoots, but it is not limited only to those regions. Plants also possess lateral meristems along the sides of the stem, which are responsible for increasing the thickness or girth of the plant. In addition, intercalary meristems are present at the base of internodes or near nodes, especially in grasses, and they help in regrowth after cutting or grazing.

Neha can challenge Vibha by asking questions like:

• “If meristems are only present at the tips, how does a tree’s stem increase in thickness?”
• “How does grass regrow after being cut or grazed if there are no dividing cells at the nodes?”

Such questions would help Vibha understand that meristematic tissues are present not only at the apices but also in lateral and intercalary regions.