a meristem that increases the girth of stems and roots by producing additional xylem and phloem
See also cork cambium
Derived forms
cambial (ˈcambial)
adjective
Word origin
C17: from Medieval Latin: exchange, from Late Latin cambiāre to exchange, barter
cambium in American English
(ˈkæmbiəm)
noun
a layer of formative cells between the wood and bark in dicotyledonous plants: these cells cause the girth of the stem to increase bydividing and differentiating to form new xylem and phloem tissue, which will eventually become wood and bark
Derived forms
cambial (ˈcambial)
adjective
Word origin
ModL < ML < LL cambiare: see change
Examples of 'cambium' in a sentence
cambium
Leaphorn put his thumb against the exposed cambium layer and showed it to McKee.