Exercise 5. The Stem Stem aerial plant part Functions: a. supports other aerial plant parts b.

. conduction of water and minerals c. gives rise to other aerial plant parts Morphological Parts Criteria Nodes and internodes Presence of axillary buds Presence of lenticels Presence of leaf sheath Metamorphosed Stem Metamorphosed Structures Cladophyll Tuber Corm Rhizome Runner/stolon Thorns Offset Tendrils Flattened Disc Function(s) photosynthesis Storage of starch and asexual reproduction Storage of starch and asexual reproduction Storage of starch and asexual reproduction asexual reproduction Protection asexual reproduction Additional support Additional support Species Muehlenbeckia platyclada Solanum tuberosum Colocasia esculenta Zingiber officinale Cynodon dactylon Citrus Eichornia crassipes Antigonon leptopus Allium cepa Monocots Present Absent Absent Present Dicots Present Present Present Absent

Shoot Apex Organization and Primary Growth Single apical initial presence of single apical cell which is large, inverted pyramid in shape and having large nucleus. The cell divides both anticlinally and periclinally.

Tunica-corpus two layers of meristematic tissues: tunica (divides anticlinally (perpendicular to the axis)) and corpus (divides both anticlinally and perclinally (parallel to the axis)) which give rise to the three primary meristems.

Origin Protoderm Ground Meristem Procambium

Primary Tissues Epidermis Cortex Pith Fascicular cambium and interfascicular region Primary vascular tissues

Function(s) Protection Metabolic processes and storage Give rise to vascular cambium

Water and food transport

Comparison Between Monocot and Dicot Stem Cross-sections Criteria Extent of Cortex Presence or absence of vascular cambium Type of vascular bundle Type of xylem maturation # of xylem ridges Type of stele Dicot Prominent Present Open Endarch Many (polyarch) Eustele Monocot Not prominent Absent Closed Endarch Many (polyarch) Atactostele

Dicot (left) and monocot stem (right)

Vascular Tissue Arrangement

Collateral

Bi-Collateral

Amphivasal

Amphicribral