Table 2.

Basic meristem types and their characteristics

Meristem type	Acropetal activity	Apical meristem	Meristem shape	Lateral primodia	Axillary meristem development	Sequence of development
Vegetative meristem (VM)	infinite	indeterminate	small, usually dome-shaped	leaves	delayed	acropetal
Inflorescence meristem (IM)	limited	indeterminate (→ determinate)	enlarged, dome-shaped or flat	bracts	immediate	acropetal
Floral unit meristem (FUM)	lacking	determinate	enlarged, dome-shaped or flat, ‘naked’	minute bracts, if at all	immediate	centripetal or centrifugal (cymose)
Flower meristem (FM)	lacking	determinate	enlarged, dome-shaped or flat, ‘naked’	floral organs	lacking	centripetal (centrifugal)