- A All three of these tissues are sometimes mistakenly thought to be lateral meristems responsible mainly for increasing the overall girth of the stem region as widely reported
- B They are the three primary meristems derived from apical meristem: protoderm becomes epidermis, ground meristem becomes cortex/pith, procambium becomes vascular tissue
- C All three of these meristems are sometimes said to arise mainly as secondary meristems after primary growth of the plant has largely finished in standard practice
- D All three meristem types are sometimes thought to be found mainly confined within the root system of the plant, rarely occurring within the shoot under most conditions encountered
Correct answer: B. They are the three primary meristems derived from apical meristem: protoderm becomes epidermis, ground meristem becomes cortex/pith, procambium becomes vascular tissue
Explanation: As the apical meristem divides, it gives rise to three primary meristems: (1) Protoderm - outer layer, becomes epidermis; (2) Ground meristem - middle, becomes cortex, pith, and other ground tissue; (3) Procambium - central, becomes primary vascular tissue (xylem and phloem).
Concept context
Internal tissue organisation: meristems, permanent tissues (xylem, phloem, parenchyma), and secondary growth. Frequently tested in NEET.