21.

1 Plant Cells and Tissues

KEY CONCEPT
Plants have specialized cells and tissue systems.
21.1 Plant Cells and Tissues
Plant tissues are made of three basic cell types.
• Parenchyma cells are the most common plant cell
type.
– store starch, oils and
water
– help heal wounds to
the plant
– have thin flexible walls
21.1 Plant Cells and Tissues

• Collenchyma cells provide support to a growing plant.

– they are strong and flexible.
– celery strings are strands of collenchyma.
– they have unevenly thick cell walls.
21.1 Plant Cells and Tissues

• Sclerenchyma cells are the strongest plant cell type.

– second cell wall hardened by lignin
– die when they reach maturity
– used by humans to make linen and rope
21.1 Plant Cells and Tissues
Plant organs are made of three tissue systems.
• Dermal tissue covers the outside of a plant.
– protects the plant
– secretes cuticle of leaves
– forms outer bark of trees
21.1 Plant Cells and Tissues

• Ground tissue is found inside a plant.

– provides support
– stores materials in roots and stems
– most commonly made of parenchyma
21.1 Plant Cells and Tissues

• Vascular tissue transports water, minerals and organic

compounds.
– two networks of hollow
tubes
stem
– xylem transports water
and minerals
– phloem transports
photosynthetic products
leaf

root
21.2 The Vascular System

KEY CONCEPT
The vascular system allows for the transport of
water, minerals, and sugars.
21.2 The Vascular System
Water and dissolved minerals move through xylem.
• Xylem contains specialized cells.
– vessel elements are short and wide
– tracheid cells are long and narrow
– xylem cells die at maturity

tracheid

vessel
element
21.2 The Vascular System

• The cohesion-tension theory explains water movement.

– Plants passively transport water through the xylem.
– Cohesion is the tendency of water molecules to bond
with each other.
– Adhesion is the
tendency of water
molecules to bond
with other
substances.
21.2 The Vascular System

• Water travels from roots to the top of trees.

– absorption occurs at roots
– cohesion and adhesion in xylem
– transpiration at leaves
21.2 The Vascular System

• Transpiration is the loss of water

vapor through leaves.
– water vapor exits leaf stomata
– helps pull water to the top
branches
21.2 The Vascular System
Phloem carries sugars from photosynthesis throughout
the plant.
• Phloem contains specialized cells.
– sieve tube elements have
holes at ends
– companion cells help sieve
tube elements
– unlike xylem, phloem tissue is
alive
21.2 The Vascular System

• The Pressure-flow model explains sugar movement.

– plants actively transport sugar from the source
– sugar flows to the sink due to pressure differences

phloem xylem

sugars

2 Water moves from

1 Sugars move from their the xylem into the
source, such as phloem by osmosis,
photosynthesizing water due to the higher
leaves, into the phloem. concentration of the
sugars in the phloem.
The water flow helps
move sugars through
the phloem.
3 The sugars move into
the sink, such as root
or fruit, where the are
stored.
21.3 Roots and Stems

KEY CONCEPT
Roots and stems form the support system of vascular
plants.
21.3 Roots and Stems
Roots anchor plants and absorb mineral nutrients from
soil.
• Roots provide many
functions.
– support the plant
– absorb, transport,
and store nutrients
– root hairs help
absorption
21.3 Roots and Stems

• There are several parts of a root.

– root cap covers the tip

root cap
21.3 Roots and Stems

• There are several parts of a root.

– root cap covers the tip
– apical meristem is an area
of growth

apical meristem
21.3 Roots and Stems

• There are several parts of a root.

– root cap covers the tip
– apical meristem is an area
of growth
– vascular cylinder contains
xylem and phloem
vascular cylinder
21.3 Roots and Stems

• There are two main types of roots.

– Fibrous root systems have fine branches.
– Taproot systems have one main root.

Fibrous root Taproot

21.3 Roots and Stems

Pictures to Study for Test!

21.3 Roots and Stems

Roots
– monocots versus dicots.

Monocot Dicot
21.3 Roots and Stems
Stems support plants, transport materials, and provide
storage.
• Stems have many functions.
– support leaves and flowers
– house most of the vascular system
– store water

Baobab trees Cactus

21.3 Roots and Stems
Stems support plants, transport materials, and provide
storage.
• Stems have many functions.
– support leaves and flowers
– house most of the vascular system
– store water
– grow underground for storage

Ginger rhizomes Potato tubers

21.3 Roots and Stems
Stems support plants, transport materials, and provide
storage.
• Stems have many functions.
– support leaves and flowers
– house most of the vascular system
– store water
– grow underground for storage
– form new plants

Strawberry
stolons
21.3 Roots and Stems

• Some stems are herbaceous and conduct photosynthesis.

21.3 Roots and Stems

• Some stems can be woody,

and form protective bark.
21.3 Roots and Stems

• Primary growth increases a plant’s length.

• Secondary growth increases a plant’s width.
21.3 Roots and Stems

• Tree rings help determine the age of a tree.

bands bark

heartwood

one year sapwood

of growth
21.3 Roots and Stems

Monocot Stem
21.3 Roots and Stems
Dicot Stem
21.4 Leaves

KEY CONCEPT
Leaves absorb light and carry out photosynthesis.
21.4 Leaves
Most leaves share some similar structures.
• The blade is usually broad and
flat.
– collects sunlight for
photosynthesis blade

– connects to the stem by a

petiole

petiole
21.4 Leaves

• Mesophyll is between the leaf’s dermal tissue layers.

cuticle

upper
epidermis
palisade
mesophyll

spongy
mesophyll

lower
epidermis
21.4 Leaves

• Guard cells surround each stoma.

– Stomata open and close when guard cells change
shape.
– When stomata are open, water evaporates and gas
exchanges.
– Stomata close at night and when plant loses too much
water.

guard cells stoma

21.4 Leaves

• Leaves may be simple, compound, or double compound.

Simple leaf Compound leaf Double compound leaf

21.4 Leaves

• Leaf veins may be parallel or pinnate.

Parallel veins Pinnate veins

21.4 Leaves

• Leaf margins may be toothed, entire, or lobed.

Toothed margin Entire margin Lobed margin

21.4 Leaves
Most leaves are specialized systems for photosynthesis.
• There are two types of mesophyll cells.
– both types contain chloroplasts
– palisade mesophyll absorbs sunlight
– spongy mesophyll connects to stomata
cuticle

upper
epidermis
palisade
mesophyll

xylem spongy
mesophyll

phloem
lower
epidermis

stomata
21.4 Leaves

• Leaves have many adaptations.

– for extreme temperatures,
ex: pine needles
21.4 Leaves

• Leaves have many adaptations.

– for extreme temperatures,
ex: pine needles
– for water loss,
ex: cactus spines
21.4 Leaves

• Leaves have many adaptations.

– for extreme temperatures,
ex: pine needles
– for water loss,
ex: cactus spines
– for aquatic environments,
ex: water lily
21.4 Leaves

• Leaves have many adaptations.

– for extreme temperatures,
ex: pine needles
– for water loss,
ex: cactus spines
– for aquatic environments,
ex: water lily
– for getting food,
ex: Venus’ flytrap
21.4 Leaves

Monocot leaf
21.4 Leaves

Dicot leaf