Could be a taller part of a tomato plant (7)

I believe the answer is:

lateral

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'part of a tomato plant' is the definition.
The definition and answer can be both acts as well as being singular nouns.
Maybe you can see a link between them that I don't see?

'could be a taller' is the wordplay.
'could be' indicates an anagram.
'a'+'taller'='ataller'
'ataller' anagrammed gives 'LATERAL'.

Can you help me to learn more?

(Other definitions for lateral that I've seen before include "Relating to the side" , "Sidelong" , "Sideways, like creative thinking" , "Edgeways" , "Possibly right" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.

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