Basic Structure and Tissue System Distribution of The Stem

ABSTRACT
Stems are a part of the shoot system of a plant. They may range in length from a few millimeters to
hundreds of meters. They also vary in diameter, depending on the plant type. Stems are usually above
ground, although the stems of some plants, such as the potato, also grow underground. Stems may be
herbaceous (soft) or woody in nature. Their main function is to provide support to the plant, holding
leaves, flowers, and buds; in some cases stem also store food for the plant. In this lab practical, the basic
structures and tissues systems distribution of the stem was being examined and labelled with results
tabulated and discussed.
INTRODUCTION
A plant stem is one of the two main structural axes of a vascular plant. It is the part of the plant that lies
above ground. Few stems are also found underground and are considered to be stem modifications. The
main functions of stems are to support and elevations of leaves, fruits and flowers. Stem arranges leaves
in a way that it gets direct sunlight to perform photosynthesis. Xylem and phloem conduct water across
the plant. Stems store food, water and nutrients. Cells of a stem, meristems, produce new living tissues.
Underground stems, Areal Stem and Subareal stem are three different types of stem. A stem has many
important functions it performs other than letting you climb a tree. Plant tissue system are broadly divided
into three types: (a) dermal tissue system, (b) vascular tissue system and (c) ground tissue system.
METHODOLOGY
All specimen were prepared by the lab technician prior to the lab session. Upon arrival at Herbarium, the
students mounted different slides of stem specimen and observed or examined their structures and drew
diagrams of structures of their choosing for the report writing.
RESULTS
DISCUSSION
The stem divides into nodes and internodes. The nodes gives rise to the leaves and hold the buds which
grow into branches. The internodes separate two nodes. As mentioned earlier in the introduction, plant
tissue systems are broadly divided into three types; dermal, vascular and ground tissue.
As per the slide of woody dicot stem and monocot stem, the dermal tissue system consist of epidermis
and the periderm. The epidermis is a single layer of cells that make up the external tissue of the cell called
dermal tissue. This tissue covers the stem and protects the underlying tissue. Depending on the part of the
plant that it covers, the dermal tissue system is specialized. The epidermis of a plant contains the stomata
which regulate water intake and help in gaseous exchange. Woody plants have an extra layer of protection
on top of the epidermis known bark as examined in the woody dicot specimen slide. The periderm
replaces the epidermis in plants that undergo secondary growth. It is multi-layered and consist of non-
living cells that covers the outside of stems and roots to protect the plant from pathogens, injury and
prevents excessive water loss.
The vascular tissue system is primarily made up of xylem and phloem. The vascular system is responsible
for transporting water, minerals and food across the plant. Xylem and phloem exist in strands called as
vascular bundles. Vascular bundles are of three types; Radial, Conjoint and Concentric. Xylem consists of
tracheids and vessels. Xylem is responsible for carrying water and minerals from the roots to the leaves.
Vessels are found only in flowering plants but tracheids are found in all vascular plants.
Phloem consists of sieve cells, sieve tubes, phloem parenchyma and phloem fibres. Phloem is responsible
for conducting food from the leaves to different areas of the plant. Tracheid cells are non-living, sieve-
tubes and companion cells of the phloem are living.
The third tissue system is the ground tissue system which are produced by the ground meristem and is
divided into two- the central portion is known as the pith and the cortex which lies between the vascular
tissue and epidermis. They are made up of three type of cells; parenchyma, collenchyma and
sclerenchyma. Ground tissues synthesize organic compounds and provide support to the plant. In some
cases, the ground tissue also stores food in the form of starch.

CONCLUSION
REFERENCE
 UNIVERSITY OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA
SCHOOL OF NATURAL AND PHYSICAL SCIENCES
BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES DIVISION

1.30103 PLANT BIOLOGY

NAME: Sandra SAVIROMO

ID NUMBER: 20191602
LECTURER: MR. P. Piskaut