Shoot

In botany, the shoot is one of two primary sections of a plant; the other is the root. The shoot refers to what is generally the upper portion of a plant, and consists of stems, leaves, flowers, and fruits. It is derived from the embryonic epicotyl, the portion of the embryo above the point of attachment to the seed leaves (cotyledons).

In the shoot, water and nutrients are transported from the root to the leaves in conducting tissue called xylem, which consists primarily of tracheids and vessel members. Photoassimilates are carried away from mature leaves in conducting tissue called phloem, which is mainly made up of sieve cells and sieve tube members.

In everyday speech, shoots are often confused with stems. Stems, which are a critical component of shoots, provide an axis for buds, fruits, and leaves.

The shoot of a cucumber.

A shoot may also refer to the new growth of a plant stem. Because the fibres in this new growth have not yet completed secondary cell wall development, these shoots are soft and are often eaten by animals. As a protection, some plants (eg. bracken) produce toxins that make their shoots inedible or less palatable. See also: bud, meristem