Cambium

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Cambium \Cam"bi*um\, n. [LL. cambium exchange, fr. L. cambire to
     exchange. It was supposed that cambium was sap changing into
     wood.]
     1. (Bot.) A series of formative cells lying outside of the
        wood proper and inside of the inner bark. The growth of
        new wood takes place in the cambium, which is very soft.


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Med.) A fancied nutritive juice, formerly supposed to
        originate in the blood, to repair losses of the system,
        and to promote its increase. --Dunglison.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  cambium
       n 1: formative one-cell-thick layer of tissue between xylem and
            phloem in most vascular plants that is responsible for
            secondary growth
       2: the inner layer of the periosteum
       [also: {cambia} (pl)]