STEMS

Link a plant’s roots to its leaves and are usually aerial, although many plants have
underground stems.
A stem is an organ consists of:
Node: area of a stem where a leaf or leaves are attached
Internodes: the elongated portion of a stem between two nodes.
Bud: A terminal bud encloses a meristematic stem axis with its apical meristem. Axillary
buds are lateral buds that form at the leaf-stem axils (nodes) and may develop into lateral
vegetative shoots or flowers.
Lenticels: structure that permits the passage of gas inward and outward
Leaf scar: characteristic scar on stem axis made by leaf abscission
Bud scale: small modified leaves or stipules that cover and protect the bud
Bud scale scar: scars left from the removal of bud
Leaf primordium: an immature lead of the shoot

In woody plants, primary growth is followed by secondary growth, which allows the
plant stem to increase in thickness or girth. Secondary vascular tissue is added as
the plant grows, as well as a cork layer. The bark of a tree extends from the vascular
cambium to the epidermis.

Primary growth occurs in all groups when a plant grows taller and when it develops
roots, branches, leaves, and flowers. Plants that undergo only primary growth and
have soft, green, non-woody stems are known as herbaceous plants. They typically
have an annual, biennial, or perennial life cycle, meaning that they partially or
comPlants undergo primary growth to increase length and secondary growth to
increase thickness.
pletely die after a season and have to re-grow.

Secondary growth occurs when dicot stems and roots grow wider. Frequently, this
involves the development of a woody stem, which arises from a combination of the
activities of the stem’s vascular cambium and cork meristem tissues. However, not all
dicots that undergo secondary growth have woody stems—for example, tomato,
carrot, and potato plants don’t have woody stems but they do undergo secondary
growth.

In general, monocots do not undergo secondary growth. If they do increase in girth

(like palm trees and yucca plants), it does not result in the development of a
secondary xylem and phloem, since monocots don’t have vascular cambium. An
increase in girth without secondary growth is referred to as anomalous thickening.

Cross section of stem

In (a) dicot stems, vascular bundles are arranged around the periphery of the
ground tissue. The xylem tissue is located toward the interior of the vascular
bundle; phloem is located toward the exterior. Sclerenchyma fibers cap the
vascular bundles. In (b) monocot stems, vascular bundles composed of xylem
and phloem tissues are scattered throughout the ground tissue.
Wood anatomy
The center of the tree trunk contains heartwood, where the vascular system
no longer functions. Around it lies the sapwood that contains functional
phloem and xylem. Vascular rays of long-lived parenchyma cells radiate
across the trunk, conducting nutrients and water. Bark is made up of the
outermost layers of the trunk, including cork and outer phloem cells
Annual ring/growth rings - An annual ring is a ring of vascular tissue formed
by the cambium during the course of one year. Therefore in one year,
normally two types of wood are formed and those two types combinedly form
a concentric ring.

In Spring season, when plants get rapid growth, cambium grows more vessels
with large cavities and thin walls in order to meet up the demand for water.
The wood formed in the spring is known as spring wood or early wood.

In autumn season, when plants reduce their growth or usually don’t grow,
cambium produces vessels with thick walls and narrow cavities. The wood
formed in the winter season are known as autumn wood or late wood.

By counting the number of the annual ring, the approximate age of a plant can
be estimated.
Specialized stems
Rhizome- horizontal sterns that grow below ground with short internodes and bears
scale-like leaves. Ex. Ginger, cogon grass

Runners/stolons
Runners are horizontal stems that grow above ground, generally along the surface. Ex.
Strawberry. 

Tubers - a thick underground storage stem, usually not upright bearing outer buds but
lack protective scales

Bulbs- consist of small amount of vertical stem and a massive quantity of thick, fleshy
storage leaves. Most of them consist of concentric rings of scales attached to a basal
plate.

Corms- resemble bulbs but differ from them in being composed almost entirely of stem
tissue, except for few papery, scale like leaves sparsely covering the outside. Consist of
one or more internodes with at least one growing point. Formed from a swollen bases of
stems.

Cladophylls/Phylloclade - the entire shoot is flattened and leaf like

Tendrils- these are specialized stems in grapes but are modified leaves or leaf parts in
plants like peas and cucumbers.

Drugs Obtained from Stems and Wood

Ephedrine - The stems are the source of famous drug ephedrine. The liquid extract of
stem is used for controlling asthma.

White sandalwood - The wood is astringent (shrinks or constricts body tissues),

sedative, tonic (medicine that makes you feel stronger, healthier, and less tired) and
diuretic (increase production of urine).

Catechu - A powder of catechu is used for used for an aching tooth to relieve pain. A
tincture of catechu is useful for bed sores and painful mammary glands. A mixture of
catechu and myrrh, known as Kathbol is used as a galactagogue
(promotes/increases the flow of mother’s milk) for nursing mothers.
Quinine - from the bark of Cinchona officinalis. It is used to treat malaria.

Cinnamon bark - is used for GI upset, diarrhea, menstrual cramps etc