How do meristems produce new parts in higher plants?

Meristems are specialized regions of small, metabolically active cells that enable higher plants to grow throughout their entire life span. They produce new plant parts through continuous mitosis, where a population of cells known as initials maintains the meristem as a source of new cells.123

During division, one daughter cell typically remains meristematic, while the other differentiates into specific tissues. These cells are organized into primary meristems that form the primary plant body:213

• Protoderm: Develops into the epidermis.
• Ground meristem: Forms ground tissues, including parenchyma, collenchyma, and sclerenchyma.
• Procambium: Gives rise to vascular tissues, specifically xylem and phloem.

Growth occurs through different meristematic types:
* Apical meristems at root and shoot tips drive primary growth and extension.13
* Lateral meristems (vascular and cork cambia) are responsible for secondary growth, increasing stem girth and thickness.12
* Intercalary meristems facilitate the extension of stems and leaves in specific regions, such as internodes in grasses.12

As growth continues, the meristematic zone remains localized, continuously moving away from the maturing tissues it creates.2