Meristems in Higher Plants
Meristems are specific regions in higher plants where new cells are actively formed. These areas play a crucial role in the growth and development of plants. Meristems are responsible for the production of cells that differentiate into various tissues and organs in the plant body.

Types of Meristems
There are two main types of meristems in higher plants:

1. Apical Meristem: Apical meristems are located at the tips of roots and shoots. They are responsible for the primary growth of the plant, which leads to an increase in the length of the plant body. The cells in the apical meristem divide rapidly, producing new cells that differentiate into various tissues, such as the epidermis, cortex, and vascular tissues.

2. Lateral Meristem: Lateral meristems are found in the lateral regions of plant organs, such as stems and roots. They are responsible for the secondary growth of the plant, which leads to an increase in the girth or thickness of the plant body. Lateral meristems include the vascular cambium and cork cambium. The vascular cambium produces secondary xylem (wood) towards the inside and secondary phloem towards the outside, while the cork cambium produces cork cells that replace the epidermis.

Function of Meristems
Meristems are responsible for various functions in higher plants:

1. Growth: Meristems are the sites of active cell division, which leads to the growth of the plant in length and girth.

2. Development: Meristems produce new cells that differentiate into specialized tissues and organs, such as leaves, stems, roots, and flowers.

3. Repair: Meristems play a crucial role in wound healing and tissue repair in plants. They produce new cells to replace damaged or injured tissues.

4. Regeneration: Meristems have the ability to regenerate entire plants from small tissue samples. This property is utilized in plant tissue culture techniques for mass propagation of plants.

Conclusion
Meristems are specialized regions in higher plants that actively produce new cells. They are responsible for the growth, development, repair, and regeneration of plants. The two main types of meristems are apical meristem and lateral meristem. Apical meristems are located at the tips of roots and shoots and are involved in primary growth, while lateral meristems are found in the lateral regions of organs and are responsible for secondary growth. Meristems are essential for the proper functioning and survival of higher plants.