Question

Vascular cambium of dicot stem is
A) Apical meristem
B) Intercalary meristem
C) Lateral meristem
D) Secondary meristem

Answer 1

Cell division in vascular cambium results in the growth of the girth of the tree. It results in adding more vascular tissues in the trunk of the tree.

Complete answer:
Primary growth of plants means an increase in the length of the root below the ground and shoots above the ground. It is due to repeated cell division in the apical meristem. Apical meristems are located at the tip of the root and shoot of the plants. Secondary growth of plants refers to an increase in girth of the stem that is the lateral growth of the trunk of the plant. Secondary growth is brought about by cell division in lateral meristems or cambia. Lateral meristems cause roots and stem to thicken. Primary growth is seen in all kinds of plants but secondary growth is seen only in seed plants except monocots. There are two types of lateral meristems present in seeded plants :- the cork cambium and vascular cambium. In woody plants, the formation of wood is the result of the activity of lateral meristems.
The cork cambium divides and forms thickened cork cells which reduce the water loss and protect the surface of the plant. The cork cells are dead in nature resulting in the strong outer covering of plants.
Vascular cambium: As the plant is growing in diameter there is an increased need for conducting tissues. So that the nutrition is received by each and every part of the plant. Vascular cambium develops within the vascular bundles. This vascular cambium divides and differentiates into xylem and phloem. Vascular cambium divides in such a way that it produces xylem to the inner side and phloem to the outer side.
So, the correct answer is ‘Vascular cambium of the dicot stem is a lateral meristem’.

Hence the correct answer is option ‘C’.

Note: The age of a tree can be determined by counting the annual rings on the cross-section of the trunk. These annual rings are formed because of cambium.