shoot system
Quick Summary
(A) Longitudinal section of a young tree showing how the annual growth rings are produced in successive conical layers. (B) Shoot apex, the extreme tip of which is the apical meristem, or primary meristem, a region of new cell division that contributes to primary growth, or increase in length, and which is the ultimate source of all the cells in the aboveground parts of the tree. (C) Segment of a tree trunk showing the location of the cambium layer, a secondary meristem that contributes to secondary growth, or increase in thickness. (D) Root tip, the apex of which is also an apical meristem and the ultimate source of all the cells of the root system.
The shoot system of a vascular plant consists of the stem and leaves. The stem provides structural support and transports water and minerals from the roots to the leaves, and sugars produced during photosynthesis from the leaves to other parts of the plant. Leaves are the primary sites for photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy.1
At the tip of both the shoot and the root are apical meristems. These are regions of actively dividing cells responsible for the plant's primary growth, allowing it to increase in length. The shoot apical meristem produces new leaves and buds, which can develop into branches. This branching typically occurs in the leaf axil, the angle between a leaf and the stem. Plants can continue to grow throughout their lives due to the continuous activity of these meristems.23
Ask Britannica AI about this topic
Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.
horticultureVegetative structures…fleshy swollen structures, readily form shoots (called adventitious, because they do not form from nodes). The sweet potato and dahlia are propagated by tuberous roots. Shoots that rise adventitiously from roots are called suckers. The red raspberry is propagated by suckers.
Read More…fleshy swollen structures, readily form shoots (called adventitious, because they do not form from nodes). The sweet potato and dahlia are propagated by tuberous roots. Shoots that rise adventitiously from roots are called suckers. The red raspberry is propagated by suckers.
Read More
horticultureGraftingA shoot tip, when excised and cultured, may produce roots at the base. This technique is employed for the purpose of producing plants free of disease. Certain orchids are rapidly multiplied by this method. Cultured shoot tips form an embryo-like stage that can be sectioned indefinitely…
Read MoreA shoot tip, when excised and cultured, may produce roots at the base. This technique is employed for the purpose of producing plants free of disease. Certain orchids are rapidly multiplied by this method. Cultured shoot tips form an embryo-like stage that can be sectioned indefinitely…
Read More
angiospermStructure…its attached leaves constitute the shoot. Collectively, the roots of an individual plant make up the root system and the shoots the shoot system.
Read More…its attached leaves constitute the shoot. Collectively, the roots of an individual plant make up the root system and the shoots the shoot system.
Read More
plantClassification of angiosperms…axis of two parts, the shoot and the root. Shoots have two kinds of organs, the stem and the leaves, while roots have one type of organ, the root itself. Systems of classification are often based upon the longevity of the portions of plant aboveground. Woody plants are trees and…
Read More…axis of two parts, the shoot and the root. Shoots have two kinds of organs, the stem and the leaves, while roots have one type of organ, the root itself. Systems of classification are often based upon the longevity of the portions of plant aboveground. Woody plants are trees and…
Read More
PoaceaeCharacteristic morphological featuresThe shoot system consists of the shoot apex and its embryonic leaves, which are covered by the coleoptile. The mesocotyl connects the shoot system to the point of attachment of the scutellum. The primary root, which is replaced by secondary, fibrous roots after germination, is covered…
Read MoreThe shoot system consists of the shoot apex and its embryonic leaves, which are covered by the coleoptile. The mesocotyl connects the shoot system to the point of attachment of the scutellum. The primary root, which is replaced by secondary, fibrous roots after germination, is covered…
Read More


