TRANSPORT IN PLANTS

OCTOBER, 31 2011
CAPE BIOLOGY
MAIN VASCULAR TISSUE:
XYLEM AND PHLOEM
 The xylem and phloem are the two main
types of conducting tissues in the plant.

Together they make up the vascular tissue.

Xylem conducts mainly water and mineral
salts from the roots to other parts of the
plant.
As another function, secondary (older)
xylem may form wood.

The phloem conducts mainly organic food

from the leaves both up and down the plant.
 XYLEM
consists of parenchyma cells and
fibres together with two specialized
cells: vessels and tracheids.

both tissues are dead and function in

transporting water and supporting
various parts of the plant.
 TRACHEIDS
Are single cells that are elongated and lignified;

Have tapering end walls that overlap, hence they have

mechanical strength and give support to the plant.

Are dead with empty lumen when mature.

Water can pass unobstructed through the empty

lumen.

There are pits between adjacent tracheids through

which water can pass via the pit membranes or
through unlignified portions of the cell walls.
 VESSELS
Long, thin tubular structures formed
by the fusion of several cells end to
end in a row.

Formed when the neighbouring

vessel of a given row fuse as a result
of their end walls breaking down.
 The first vessels form the protoxylem
located just behind the apical meristem
and mature protoxylem can stretch as the
surrounding cells elongate because lignin
is not deposited over the entire cellulose
wall but only in rings or in spirals.

As growth of the plant continues, more

xylem vessels develop and become more
lignified thus forming mature, dead, non-
stretching metaxylem. Metaxylem vessels
show three basic patterns of lignification:
scalariform, reticulate, and pitted.
 PHLOEM
Comprises parenchyma, sclereids
and fibres together with specialized
cells for translocation, called sieve
tube elements, and companion cells.
SIEVE TUBES AND COMPANION
CELLS
Sieve tubes are long and are formed by the
fusion of sieve tube elements and the partial
breakdown of the cross walls between them to
form sieve plates.

The cell walls are thickened with cellulose and

pectin, the cell lacks a nucleus and the cytoplasm
is confined to the edges of the cell.

This cytoplasm is still living but is dependent on

the nucleus and active cytoplasm of an adjacent
companion cell.
 PHLOEM PARENCHYMA AND
FIBRES
Found in dicotyledons but not in
monocotyledons.

Cells are generally elongated.

In secondary phloem, parenchyma

occurs in medullary rays and vertical
strands as for xylem parenchyma.
 PHLOEM FIBRES AND
SCLEREIDS
Found in dicotyledons but not in
monocotyledons.

Form vertically running bands of cells in

secondary phloem and help to resist
pressure as growth continues in this region.

Sclereids occur frequently in phloem,

especially in older phloem.