Stem

The above-ground part of the plant body is known as the shoot system, and the stem is the main axis of this shoot system. The stem is the ascending part of the plant body — it develops from the plumule and bears the reproductive units, i.e. buds. Unlike the root, it is clearly differentiated into nodes and internodes. It is usually positively phototropic (grows towards light), negatively geotropic (grows away from gravity) and negatively hydrotropic. The stem shows different kinds of buds — axillary, apical, accessory and so on. At its nodes, it produces dissimilar lateral organs such as leaves and flowers, as well as similar organs such as branches. A young stem is green and capable of photosynthesis. …