Plant Tissues

Cortex: An outer region of cells in the stem and roots.

Pith: The central region of stems.
Tissue

Location

Characteristics and Explanations

Epidermis

It is a continuous, one cell

thick layer on the outside
of the plant.

It provides protection.
In stems and leaves it is covered by a waxy cuticle which
is waterproof (prevents organ from drying or infection).
In leaves it has pores called stomata which allow carbon
dioxide to enter for photosynthesis.
In the root it had extensions called root hairs which
increase the surface area for absorption.

Parenchyma

It is found in the cortex in

the roots and stems and
the pith in the stems.

Collenchyma

Found in the midrib.

A modified form of parenchyma with extra cellulose in

the corners of the cells.
It provides extra strength (structural function).

Endodermis

Surrounding vascular
tissue in the stem and
roots.

It is one cell thick.

It allows the plant to control which mineral ions can pass
into its xylem vessels. Thus, it helps generate root
pressure.

Mesophyll

Between the lower and

upper epidermis of leaves.

They are specialised parenchyma cells.

Contain chloroplasts (as they are specialised for
photosynthesis.
Palisade mesophyll: It is located near the upper surface
of the leaf and contains more chloroplasts as they
receive more sunlight.
Spongy mesophyll: In 3-D it is spongy in appearance
and has large air spaces between the cells.

Pericycle

Just inside the

endodermis, next to the
vascular tissue.

One to several cells thick.

In roots, it is one cell thick and new roots can grow from
it.
In stems, it is formed from as tissue called
sclerenchyma. These cells are dead, empty, and lignified
and add extra strength.

Vascular tissue
discussed later

Thin cell walls.

Cells are very metabolically active.
Are used for food storage.
Support the plant when turgid.
Air spaces between the cells allow gas exchange.
Water and mineral salts pass through the cells.
Contains chloroplasts in leaves where it can be modified
to form spongy or palisade mesophyll.

Xerophytes
Xerophytes: Plants that live in places where water is in short supply. They usually have adaptations
of their leaves to keep water loss to a minimum.
Xerophyte feature

How it helps to conserve water

Leaves can role up due to

shrinkage of special hinge cells
and stomata are only in the upper
epidermis of the curled up leaf.

The stomata will open into the enclosed, humid space in the centre of
the role. This will decrease the steepness of the water potential
gradient for water vapour and transpiration rates will decrease.

Thick waterproof cuticle made out

of cutin

Prevents evaporation and thus decreases the rate of transpiration.

Many layers of cells in the upper

epidermis

same as above

No stomata on the upper

epidermis

same as above

Hairs (trichomes)

Trap a layer of moist air next to the leaf, decreasing the steepness of
water potential gradient for water vapour.

Flattened photosynthetic stems

that store water

Water storage allows the plant to last longer for long periods of time
without water.

succulent stems that store water

and photosynthesise

same as above

Very small leaves

They have less surface area from which diffusion can take place.

Leaves are spines/needles

Same as above and they also prevent animals from eating the plant.

Sunken stomata

Decreases the steepness of the diffusion gradient for water vapour as

the air in the depression will have more moisture.

Stomata in pits

same as above

Vascular Tissue: Xylem and Phloem

Xylem carries mainly water and inorganic ions from roots to other above-ground parts of the

plant.
Phloem carries substances made by photosynthesis from leaves to other areas of the plant.
Differences from animal transport systems:
- No pump like the heart is present.
- Fluids in the system do not move as rapidly as in animals.
- Plant transport systems do not carry CO2 or O2.
Together the xylem and phloem make up the vascular tissue.
- Both the xylem and phloem contain more than one type of cell.
- In stems xylem and phloem are found in bundles called vascular bundles.
These bundles have caps made of sclerenchyma fibres which provide extra support for the
stem.
The distribution of strengthening tissues, xylem and sclerenchyma, is different in roots and
stems because these organs are subject to different stresses and strains. Stems must be
supported in air and roots are subjected to the pulling strains from the parts above ground.
Extra xylem is made in the roots and stems of shrubs and trees, forming wood.
Xylem tissue is made up of:
- Vessel elements and tracheids
Flowering plants mainly use vessel elements for the transport of water. These vessel
element form xylem vessel which have the following characteristics:
1. They are made from cells joined end to end to form tubes.
2. The cells are dead.
3. Walls of cells are thickened with hard, strong material called lignin.

 Each vessel element is a normal starts out as a normal plant cell. Then, lignin is laid
down. Since lignin is hard and impermeable to water, as it builds up, the cell dies,
creating an empty space (lumen) in the cell.
No lignin is laid down where the plasmodesmata of the cells were found. These
sections form pits and allow water to move in and out of the xylem vessel and to
allow the columns of water to bypass airlocks.
- Sclerenchyma fibres
- Parenchyma cells
Phloem tissue is made up of:
- Sieve elements:
Sieve tubes made of living cells called sieve elements.
These cells have very little cytoplasm with only a few mitochondria and Golgi bodies (no
nucleus or ribosomes). So, they need the companion cell to carry out many functions for
them.
Where two sieve elements form a sieve plate (perforated end wall) is formed. This sieve
plate helps to maintain the pressure gradient in the sieve tubes and helps the clotting
mechanism of the plant work.
- Companion cells:
These are very metabolically active cells.
They contain more ribosomes and mitochondria than a normal plant cell. They also have
more plasmodesmata. This is all so that they can aid with the protein synthesis of the
neighbouring sieve element.
- Parenchyma cells
- Sclerenchyma fibres

 Comparison of xylem and phloem:

Xylem

Phloem

Cells are dead (no living membranes = sucrose

would leak out)

Cells are living

Transport water and mineral salts: H2O, phosphate,

nitrate, sulphate, potassium, magnesium and
calcium.

Transport assimilates and others: Sucrose,

potassium, amino acids, chloride, phosphate,
magnesium, sodium, ATP nitrate, and plant growth
substances (e.g. cytokinin, auxin).

Transpiration is a passive process

Uses active processes in translocation (when

loading and unloading sucrose)

Walls are lignified

Walls are not lignified

There are no cell contents

Cells have contents.

Have structural and transportation role

Have only transportation role

No end walls

Sieve plates

Wide lumen

Narrow lumen

Xylem sap can only move in one direction (from

roots to rest of plant)

Phloem sap can move in different directions in

different parts of the phloem at anyone time.