secondary phloem: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare (Technical)Technical / Academic
Quick answer
What does “secondary phloem” mean?
The phloem tissue produced by the vascular cambium in the stems and roots of woody plants, involved in transporting sugars and nutrients.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The phloem tissue produced by the vascular cambium in the stems and roots of woody plants, involved in transporting sugars and nutrients.
In botany, the inner bark of a tree or shrub, consisting of sieve tubes, companion cells, phloem fibres, and parenchyma cells, which is formed after the primary growth phase and contributes to the plant's lateral growth.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or conceptual differences. Spelling conventions follow standard UK/US patterns for other words in the sentence.
Connotations
Purely technical and identical in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally rare and confined to specialised botanical texts in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “secondary phloem” in a Sentence
The secondary phloem [VERBs]...[PLANT] produces secondary phloem.Secondary phloem is composed of...The function of secondary phloem is to...Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “secondary phloem” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The secondary-phloem development was remarkable.
- They studied secondary-phloem structure.
American English
- The secondary-phloem development was remarkable.
- They studied secondary-phloem structure.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Standard term in plant anatomy, forestry, and botany textbooks and research papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Essential term in arboriculture, dendrology, plant physiology, and wood science.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “secondary phloem”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “secondary phloem”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “secondary phloem”
- Pronouncing 'phloem' with a hard 'ph' as in 'phone' (correct: /ˈfləʊɛm/).
- Confusing it with 'phloem' in general.
- Misspelling as 'secondary floem'.
- Using it in non-botanical contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, its conducting sieve tube elements are living cells, though they lose their nuclei at maturity. The companion cells and parenchyma are fully alive.
'Phloem' is the general tissue type for sugar transport. 'Secondary phloem' is a subset, specifically the phloem produced by the vascular cambium during the secondary (lateral) growth of stems and roots.
Not distinctly. It is part of the inner bark. You see bark as a whole, which includes secondary phloem, cortex, and periderm.
No. Only gymnosperms and woody dicotyledons (trees and shrubs) undergo secondary growth and thus produce secondary phloem. Herbaceous plants and monocots typically do not.
The phloem tissue produced by the vascular cambium in the stems and roots of woody plants, involved in transporting sugars and nutrients.
Secondary phloem is usually technical / academic in register.
Secondary phloem: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɛkənd(ə)ri ˈfləʊɛm/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɛkənˌdɛri ˈfloʊɛm/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'SECOND job for the plant' – after primary growth, the SECONDary phloem is made for long-term transport. Phloem sounds like 'flow' – it flows with sap.
Conceptual Metaphor
PLANT VASCULAR SYSTEM AS A ROAD NETWORK: Secondary phloem is the 'inner ring road' or 'secondary highway system' built later to service the growing girth of the tree.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of secondary phloem?