Question

Fascicular or vascular cambium of dicots is
A) Intercalary meristem
B) Lateral meristem
C) Apical meristem
D) Secretory tissue

Answer 1

Hint: Fascicular / Vascular cambium is the meristematic tissue that develops within vascular bundles of dicot root and stem. It is also called intrafascicular vascular cambium.

Complete Answer:
- Lateral meristems are present along the lateral sides of root and sides of dicot plants. They occur only in plants that show secondary growth. They never appear in the very beginning of life of a plant. It appears later than the primary meristem. That’s why it is also called a secondary meristem. It is cylindrical meristems that divide radially and increase the girth of the plant's root and stems.
- Lateral meristems are responsible for producing the secondary tissues like secondary xylem and secondary phloem, secondary medullary rays, cork, secondary cortex etc.
- Fascicular and Vascular cambium are found within the vascular bandes. In young stems, it is found in patches between the xylem and phloem. But later, these all patches join up and contribute to form a continuous ring which is called a cambial ring.
- Intercalary meristems are intercalated in between the mature tissues. Se; the permanent tissues.
- The activity of intercalary meristem is to increase the length of plants and its meristems.
- Apical meristems are found at the apices or tips of stems, roots, branches. Apical meristems produce the primary tissues of the plant body and are responsible for the primary growth of the plants. They principally contribute to increase in the length from their apex.
- Both the optical and intercalary meristems are the primary meristems because they appear early in the life of the plant.
- Secretory tissues are secretory in function and its secret substances are like resin, nectar, oil etc.

Note: Dicot root and stem shows secondary growth by the activity of lateral meristems, So, vascular cambium as well as cork cambium. Both arise during secondary growth.