In biology, a stele is the central part of the root or stem in a vascular plant that contains the tissues derived from the procambium, including vascular tissue, ground tissue, and a pericycle, which defines the outermost boundary of the stele. The endodermis, which is the innermost cell layer of the cortex, lies outside the stele
. In ancient times, a stele was a stone or wooden slab, generally taller than it is wide, erected as a monument for various purposes, including funerary or commemorative purposes, religious usage, and to mark boundaries. The surface of the stele often has text, ornamentation, or both
