Lateral roots are branches of the tap root, and have a deep-seated (endogenous) origin. Althugh the most recently formed lateral roots are usually those nearest to the root apical meristem, they are initiated in mature tissues some distance from the root apex, often in acropetal sequence. In angiosperms the initial cell divisions in lateral root formation usually occur in the pericycle. This forms a lateral root primordium, with in many cases some subsequent cell divisions in the endodermis, so that ultimately both the pericycle and the endodermis contribute to the tissues of the lateral root.