Secondary Thickening of the Stem in Amaranthus hybridus subsp. cruentus (L.) Thell.

Transections of the stem region close to the shoot apex show the occurrence of an outer, complete ring of procambium and an inner group of discrete procambial strands. From the outer ring, small, discrete vascular bundles and vascular cambium originate, while the inner group forms the discrete, medullary vascular bundles with intrafascicular cambium. Secondary thickening is essentially due to the activity of the cylinder or complete ring of vascular cambium that originates from the procambium. The medullary intrafascicular cambia also form some secondary tissues. The vascular cambium produces secondary xylem inwards and secondary phloem outwards as in the normal secondary thickening process. The distinctive feature, however, is perpetual discreteness of the medullary vascular bundles. No successive series of cambia or secondary vascular bundles are found.