Woody Dicot Stem

This particular type of dicot stem is composed of a cork, cork cambium, epidermis, cortex, xylem, phloem, vascular cambium, and a pith. The vascular cambium is a key characteristic in identifying woody dicots. It is responsible for the making and separation of both xylem and phloem. This separation, or lack of vascular bundles, is also what separates woody dicot stems from herbaceous dicot stems. Another unique characteristic about woody dicots is that one can tell the age of the plant by counting the number of annual rings. Each year in the winter when growth slows, it produces an annual ring. In this picture, this stem is three years old.

   
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