Question

The Four Characteristics of Meristematic Tissue

Answer 1

1. Cells have the power of active division.

2. They are compactly arranged in tissue and there is absolutely no intercellular space.

3. The cell wall is thin and primary in nature, containing only cellu­lose. It is uniformly thick. There is no secondary thickening.

4. Cells possess dense protoplasm with a prominent large nucleus compared to other cells of equal volume.

5. Vacuoles are small or absent to­tally.

6. Cells do not possess ergastic sub­stances.

7. Mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum are very little differen­tiated.

8. Plastids, when present, are in protoplastid stage.

9. Cells contain relatively more number of ribosomes.

10. Cells are metabolically very ac­tive.

When cells of the meristem divide, the daughter cells get differentiated into mature types while the others re­main meristematic. For this reason, the meristems perpetuate and become con­tinuous source of cell formation.

Answer 2

All meristematic tissue cells are similar in structure.

• They have thin cell walls
• Abundant or dense cytoplasm and single large nucleus.
• Spherical, oval, polygonal or rectangular shape.
• No intercellular spaces between them.
• Either no vacuoles at all or a few vacuoles