Meristem
From Greek 'meristos' meaning divisible
Plant tissue consisting of undifferentiated cells capable of division and growth. Meristems are the growing points of plants, found at root and shoot tips (apical meristems) and in lateral positions (lateral meristems).
Used in the Books
This term appears in 2 chapters:
"...assume the entire tree grew uniformly - every part expanding proportionally. You'd be wrong. Trees grow at the tips. Period. The technical term is "meristem" - specialized tissue at the ends of branches and roots where cell division actively occurs. The trunk doesn't grow thicker through cell division at ..."
"Efficiency and adaptation determine survival. - Growth → Controlled expansion: Growth plates limit size. Contact inhibition prevents cancer. Meristems enable renewal. - Sensing → Feedback loops: Receptors detect signals. Transduction amplifies them. Negative feedback stabilizes."
Biological Context
Apical meristems drive primary growth (lengthening). Lateral meristems (cambium) drive secondary growth (thickening). Meristematic cells are like stem cells—undifferentiated and capable of becoming various cell types. All plant growth originates from meristems.
Business Application
Organizational meristems are where new growth and innovation originate—R&D labs, skunkworks teams, new market expansion units. Like plant meristems, these are resource-intensive but essential for continued growth.