In what order would you pass through tissues when moving from the pith to the epidermis in a plant possessing secondary vascular tissue?

• A. Primary phloem, primary xylem, secondary phloem, secondary xylem
• B. Primary phloem, secondary phloem, secondary xylem, primary xylem
• C. Secondary xylem, primary xylem, vascular cambium, primary phloem, secondary phloem
• D. Secondary phloem, primary phloem, primary xylem, secondary xylem
• E. Primary xylem, secondary xylem, vascular cambium, secondary phloem, primary phloem

Answer: (E)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the structure of a plant stem with secondary growth. The pith is located at the center, surrounded by primary and secondary vascular tissues, and the epidermis is the outermost layer.
2. Identify the sequence of tissues from the center (pith) to the outside (epidermis) in a plant with secondary growth. The order is determined by the arrangement of vascular tissues.
3. Recognize that the primary xylem is located closest to the pith, followed by the secondary xylem, which is produced by the vascular cambium during secondary growth.
4. Next, the vascular cambium is a layer of meristematic cells that produces secondary xylem inward and secondary phloem outward.
5. Finally, the secondary phloem is located outside the vascular cambium, followed by the primary phloem, which is closer to the epidermis.