ESAU’S PLANT ANATOMY Meristems, Cells, and Tissues of the Plant Body: Their Structure, Function, and Development

Abstract

It has been over 40 years since the second edition of Esau’s Plant Anatomy was completed. The enormous expansion of biological knowledge that has taken place during this period is unprecedented. In 1965, electron microscopy was just beginning to have an impact on plant research at the cellular level. Since then, new approaches and techniques, particularly those used in molecular-genetic research, have resulted in emphasis and direction toward the molecular realm of life. Old concepts and principles are being challenged at virtually every level, often, however, without a clear understanding of the bases upon which those concepts and principles were established.