vascular cambium
Quick Summary
The vascular cambium is a lateral meristem in plants responsible for secondary growth, which increases the thickness of stems and roots. It is a layer of actively dividing cells located between the xylem (wood) and phloem (bast) tissues.1
This meristem originates from undifferentiated cells that retain their ability to grow and divide. The vascular cambium produces new xylem cells towards the inside of the stem and new phloem cells towards the outside. In woody plants, this activity leads to the development of a secondary vascular system. The cambium itself is often referred to as the cambial zone, encompassing the initial cells and their immediate, undifferentiated derivatives.12
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.
tissuePlants…herbaceous ones, consist of the vascular cambium and the cork cambium. They produce secondary tissues from a ring of vascular cambium in stems and roots. Secondary phloem forms along the outer edge of the cambium ring, and secondary xylem (i.e., wood) forms along the inner edge of the cambium ring.…
Read More…herbaceous ones, consist of the vascular cambium and the cork cambium. They produce secondary tissues from a ring of vascular cambium in stems and roots. Secondary phloem forms along the outer edge of the cambium ring, and secondary xylem (i.e., wood) forms along the inner edge of the cambium ring.…
Read More
angiospermVegetative structures…tissues (the xylem, phloem, and vascular cambium). The xylem and phloem are conducting and supporting vascular tissues, and the vascular cambium is a lateral meristem that gives rise to the secondary vascular tissues, which constitute the secondary plant body.
Read More…tissues (the xylem, phloem, and vascular cambium). The xylem and phloem are conducting and supporting vascular tissues, and the vascular cambium is a lateral meristem that gives rise to the secondary vascular tissues, which constitute the secondary plant body.
Read More
angiospermSecondary vascular system…a lateral meristem called the vascular cambium (Figure 8). The vascular cambium, which produces xylem and phloem cells, originates from procambium that has not completely differentiated during the formation of primary xylem and primary phloem. The cambium is thought to be a single row of cells arranged as a cylinder…
Read More…a lateral meristem called the vascular cambium (Figure 8). The vascular cambium, which produces xylem and phloem cells, originates from procambium that has not completely differentiated during the formation of primary xylem and primary phloem. The cambium is thought to be a single row of cells arranged as a cylinder…
Read More
rootMorphology and growth…tissues are produced by the vascular cambium and the cork cambium. The former arises from meristematic cells that lie between the primary xylem and phloem. As it develops, the vascular cambium forms a ring around the primary vascular cylinder. Cell divisions in the vascular cambium produce secondary xylem (wood) to…
Read More…tissues are produced by the vascular cambium and the cork cambium. The former arises from meristematic cells that lie between the primary xylem and phloem. As it develops, the vascular cambium forms a ring around the primary vascular cylinder. Cell divisions in the vascular cambium produce secondary xylem (wood) to…
Read More
angiospermRootsIn woody roots the vascular cambium (the lateral meristem that gives rise to secondary phloem and secondary xylem) originates in the pericycle as well as in the procambium; the procambium is the primary meristematic tissue between the primary phloem and xylem. The first cork cambium is a lateral meristem…
Read MoreIn woody roots the vascular cambium (the lateral meristem that gives rise to secondary phloem and secondary xylem) originates in the pericycle as well as in the procambium; the procambium is the primary meristematic tissue between the primary phloem and xylem. The first cork cambium is a lateral meristem…
Read More
plantSeed plants…primary xylem and phloem called vascular cambium. This meristem consists of a narrow zone of cells that form new secondary xylem (wood) and secondary phloem (secondary vascular tissues).
Read More…primary xylem and phloem called vascular cambium. This meristem consists of a narrow zone of cells that form new secondary xylem (wood) and secondary phloem (secondary vascular tissues).
Read More
plantStems…of cell division called the vascular cambium. The water-conducting cells that make up the xylem are nonliving. The accumulated xylem often forms annual rings composed of two zones: a relatively wide zone of spring wood (made up of large cells, characteristic of rapid growth) and a narrower zone of summer…
Read More…of cell division called the vascular cambium. The water-conducting cells that make up the xylem are nonliving. The accumulated xylem often forms annual rings composed of two zones: a relatively wide zone of spring wood (made up of large cells, characteristic of rapid growth) and a narrower zone of summer…
Read More
treeGeneral features of the tree body…of meristematic cells, called the vascular cambium, that organizes between the primary xylem and primary phloem of the vascular cylinders. The cambium forms the wood and the inner bark of the tree and is responsible for thickening the plant, whereas the apical meristems are responsible for forming and elongating the…
Read More…of meristematic cells, called the vascular cambium, that organizes between the primary xylem and primary phloem of the vascular cylinders. The cambium forms the wood and the inner bark of the tree and is responsible for thickening the plant, whereas the apical meristems are responsible for forming and elongating the…
Read More