1. The part of the xylem tissue in plants that develops after the protoxylem and is characterized by larger, more mature vessel elements and tracheids.
Usage: botanical term; technical

Examples

• The metaxylem forms after the protoxylem and provides structural support to the growing plant.
• In the root's vascular cylinder, the metaxylem vessels are larger than those of the protoxylem.
• The metaxylem develops as the plant matures and its water transport needs increase.
• Botanists distinguish between protoxylem and metaxylem based on the timing and size of vessel formation.
• The metaxylem's larger diameter allows for more efficient water conduction in established tissues.