Cambium is a fabric that lies between wood and bast. Where does it come from? Arises from procambium - vascular bundles. It is found in the stems, roots of plants.
Initially, cambium in plants is found only in vascular bundles. This type is called beam type. Then the tissue forms interlayers in the core rays located between the bundles. This type of cambium is called radiation.
The interlayers form bundle cambium compounds, forming a single layer ring. As the plants grow, new bundles form, and the axial organs begin to grow in thickness, forming new layers of the tree. This is the main function of cambium. Irreplaceable.
In winter, the cambium sleeps, so the plants do not grow in thickness in cold weather. In connection with the ongoing changes in the plant stem and the dormant period in the winter, annual rings are formed.
Functions, Structure
Cambium is an important fabric, without which the growth of a tree in thickness is not possible. His cells are prosenchymal. They have an elongated shape and beveled ends. The length of the prosenchymal cells exceeds the width several times. With a longitudinal section, a rectangular shape is observed.
Cambium is a cell with a complex structure. Inside them are the nucleus, cytoplasm, organelles. Surprisingly, slow movements occur in the cytoplasm. Speed depends on the season. In the central part of the cell is the nucleus. It has an elongated shape. So that the cells can feed, the plant is stocked with nutrients. They enter the plasma of the cell.
Division
The next moment. Cambium is a cell that can divide. The process occurs due to the cytoplasm.
Cambium cells can only divide polar. On one side - forming wood, and on the other - the bark of the plant. Division itself occurs disproportionately. Therefore, the tree contains less bark than wood. If cell division proceeded proportionally, then after division, the bark and wood would be in the same amount.
During division, one element is divided into two. Then one of the new elements becomes the mother cell, and the other again divides in half, turning into bast or wood. The final transition depends on which part of the plant adjacent divisible cells.
During the division, the wood is deposited towards the center of the branch. A forehead - to the edge.
Function
Now about some features. The cambium located in the stem performs an educational function. This feature is obtained due to the unique structure of the layer. Its elongated cells with thin membranes can divide, grow. Due to this, the plant stem thickens.
Tree rings
Everyone knows that trees have annual rings. From them you can determine how old the plant is. One circle is formed during the year, i.e., the annual ring. It is formed by cambium, which during division ensures the growth of the stem in thickness.
In trees growing in a temperate climate, cell division begins in early spring and ends in autumn. Waking up, the tree begins to grow actively. At this time, the cambium has large cells, which by the end of summer become narrow, but with a thick membrane. As a result of division, the formation of the annual ring occurs. By its thickness, we can judge the growth of wood over the year. Each annual ring consists of a summer and winter layer. They are distinguished by color: light is summer, and dark is winter.
When dividing, cambium cells form wood and bark. The first performs a storage function, and the bark - a protective one. These parts of the plant are made up of certain types of cells. During the growing season, each element plays a specific role in the development of the plant.
In a word, cambium is an indispensable plant tissue. Without his participation, they would simply not exist.