Group 6

TTHS 12:00-2:00 PM

September 27, 2016

General Botany Lab

ACTIVITY 14
PLANT TISSUE: SCLERENCHYMA
QUESTIONS:
1. Differentiate the cells of the sclerenchyma tissue.
Sclerenchyma, any of various kinds of hard, woody cells that serve the function of support in plants.
Mature sclerenchyma cells are dead cells that have heavily thickened walls containing lignin. Such cells
occur in many different shapes and sizes, but two main types occur: fibres and sclereids. Fibres are
greatly elongated cells whose long, tapering ends interlock, thus providing maximum support to a plant.
They can be found almost anywhere in the plant body, including the stem, the roots, and the vascular
bundles in leaves. Sclereids are extremely variable in shape and are present in various tissues of the
plant such as the periderm, cortex, pith, xylem, and phloem. They also occur in leaves and fruits and
constitute the hard shell of nuts and the outer hard coat of many seeds.
2. Give the functions of the sclerenchyma tissue.
Sclerenchyma cells provide protective, vascular and supportive functions. They have fibers and
sclereids, which are responsible for the protective and supportive functions. Plants require cells that are
bound together and have a strong outer layer known as a cell wall. Sclerenchyma cells are strong, thick
cells that provide most of the support in a plant. They are known to have extremely thick cell walls and
do not participate in many of the other activities of the developing plant, such as photosynthesis, because
their focus is strictly on support and structure. As a matter of fact, when sclerenchyma cells are fully
mature, they die. Once they're dead, they simply maintain the structure of the plant and do not require
further maintenance, freeing the plant to concentrate on other areas while having the support and
strength it needs.
3. Identify the economic importance of the fiber cells.
The Economic Importance of the fiber cells are as follows which would include different types of fibers
and their contribution to the Economy:
Textile Fibers are the most important in that they are used for fabrics, cordage and netting. To
make fabrics and netting flexible fibers are twisted together into thread or yarn and then either spun,
knitted, woven or in some other way utilized. Fabrics include cloth for wearing apparel, domestic use,
awnings, sails, etc., and also coarser materials such as gunny and burlap. Fabric fibers are all of some
commercial value. Netting fibers that are used for hammocks, lace and all forms of nets include many
of the commercial fabric fibers and a number of native fibers as well. Both commercial and native
fibers are used for cordage. For this the individual fibers are twisted together instead of being
woven. Binder Twine, fish lines, hawsers, rope and cables are among the many types.

Brush Fibers are stiff tough fibers including small stems and twigs that are utilized for making
brooms and brushes.
Rough Weaving & Plaitling Fibers. Plaits are fibrous, flat and pliable strands that are interlaced to
make straw hats, baskets, sandals, chair seats, etc. The most elastic strands are woven together for
mattings and the thatched roofs of houses. The supple twigs or woody fibers are for making chairs,
baskets and other wickerwork.
Filling Fibers are used for stuffing mattresses, cushions and in upholstery; for caulking seams
in boats and in casks and barrels; as stiffening in plaster and as packing material.
Natural Fabrics are usually obtained from tree basts that are extracted from bark in layers or sheets
and pounded into rough substitutes for lace or cloth.
Fibers for Paper Manufacture includes textile fibers and wood fibers that are used in either the
raw or manufactured state.
In General, Fiber Cells are important as different types of fibers are used to produce different materials
from their raw phase which are distributed over economically stable markets sold to many in various
forms or types essential for their daily use in life such as with clothing and papers.
References:
https://www.britannica.com/science/sclerenchyma
https://www.reference.com/science/function-sclerenchyma-cells-83a4764db5ed4f6
http://study.com/academy/lesson/sclerenchyma-cells-function-location-quiz.html
http://www.faculty.ucr.edu/~legneref/botany/fibers.htm

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