NEET BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Lateral meristems are known as secondary meristems because they are responsible for secondary growth, or increase in stem girth and thickness.

Detailed explanation-2: -Lateral meristem stimulates the increase in the girth of stem and root. It increases the lateral thickness of the plant stem and root. Hence, lateral meristem helps in increasing the girth.

Detailed explanation-3: -Secondary growth is an increase in thickness or girth of the plant body due to activity of lateral meristems. Lateral meristems are located laterally around the stem (not at the tips like apical meristems).

Detailed explanation-4: -Secondary, or lateral, meristems, which are found in all woody plants and in some herbaceous ones, consist of the vascular cambium and the cork cambium. They produce secondary tissues from a ring of vascular cambium in stems and roots.

Detailed explanation-5: -Lateral meristems are referred to as the vascular cambium and cork cambium. Cell divisions in lateral meristems are responsible for increases in plant girth.