Complex Permanent

Tissues

Xylem And Phloem

Complex Permanent Tissues

Xylem

Xylem is the specialised tissue of vascular plants that transports water and nutrients from t
he plantsoil interface to stems and leaves, and provides mechanical support and storage.
The waterconducting function of xylem is one of the major distinguishing features of vascu
lar plants. Water is the primary solvent for plant nutrition and metabolism, and is essential f
or photosynthesis, turgor and for transport of minerals, hormones and other signalling mol
ecules.
The watertransporting cells of mature xylem are dead, and therefore the transport of wate
r is mostly a passive process with a very small active pressure component
The chemical and physical properties of wood determine its role in the carbon cycle throug
h its carbon storing capacity and its resistance to decay when alive or dead, and in various
sediments.
The xylem tracheary elements consist of cells known as tracheids and vessel members, b
oth of which are typically narrow, hollow, and elongated.
In addition to the tracheary elements, xylem tissue also features fibre cells for support and
parenchyma for the storage of various substances.

Complex Permanent Tissues

Phloem
Phloem, also called bast, tissues in plants that conduct foods made in the leaves to all other
parts of the plant. Phloem is composed of various specialized cells called sieve tubes, compa
nion cells, phloem fibres, and phloem parenchyma cells.
Primary phloem is formed by the apical meristems (zones of new cell production) of root an
d shoot tips; it may be either protophloem, the cells of which are matured before elongatio
n (during growth) of the area in which it lies, or metaphloem, the cells of which mature aft
er elongation.
Sieve tubes, which are columns of sieve-tube cells having perforated, sievelike areas in their
lateral or end walls, provide the channels in which food substances travel
Phloem parenchyma cells, called transfer cells and border parenchyma cells, are located nea
r the finest branches and terminations of sieve tubes in leaf veinlets, where they also functio
n in the transport of foods.

Fig: Xylem And Phloem