Who proposed the concept of meristems as the site of plant growth and development?

The concept of meristems as the site of plant growth and development was first proposed in the 19th century by German botanist Matthias Schleiden and German physiologist Julius von Sachs. They identified the apical meristem as the primary site of cell division and growth in plant roots and shoots. Since then, the study of meristematic tissues and their role in plant growth and development has been an active area of research in the field of botany.