Anomalous secondary growth in

stems

Dr.Anurita Sharma
Asst.Professor, Botany
P.G.G.C.G.-11, Chandigarh.

Monocotyledons

Dracaena (the Dragon's blood tree) is the only monocot which has been
shown to also have secondary growth in roots.

Dracaena stem

The Dracaena stem shown here, contains a number

of scattered vascular bundles towards the central
region of the stem, as well as vascular bundles
arranged within what appears to be secondary,
predominantly parenchymatous tissue. Dracaena and
a few other genera such as Cordyline, Beaucarnea
(=Nolina) are anomalous because they have
secondary growth from a secondary thickening
meristem (STM). This is irrespective of the fibres
around the bundles as this occurs in both those with
an STM and those without an STM.

Dicotyledons

Cross section of Boerhaavia stem, showing successive rings of

xylem and phloem

Detail, showing part of the stem, note that the xylem contains
metaxylem (MX) as well as protoxylem vessels (PX).

The stem in Boerhaavia contains well-defined

anomalous secondary growth, which is
characterized by the presence of successive rings
of xylem and phloem. According to Rajput and Rao,
(1998) The cambium is composed of fusiform
initials only, which give rise to rayless secondary
vascular tissues. The cambium is described as
being storied when cell division ceases. Each
successive ring of cambium is originated from the
outermost phloem parenchyma cells.

The cambial ring is functionally segmented into fascicular and

interfascicular regions which produce mostly conducting elements of the
xylem and phloem with some parenchyma, the latter to parenchyma cells.
The xylem parenchyma cells develop into conjunctive tissue following
thickening and lignification of cell walls. In two of the species (B. verticillata
and B. rependa) phloem parenchyma cells also undergo lignification, but in B.
diffusa parenchyma cells remain primary-walled.

Alternate bands of lignified and parenchymatous bands are distinct in the

stem.
The xylem vessels elements are short with a simple perforation plate on
slightly oblique to transverse end walls. The phloem contains sieve tube
members and associated companion cells.