V.

Discussion Questions:
1. Which tissue occupies the center of the dicot stem?
parenchymatous pith tissue
In gymnosperm and dicot stems, the center of the axis is occupied by
parenchymatous pith tissue, which functions as a storage tissue and sometimes a water
source. Surrounding the pith is a ring of vascular bundles, each
containing xylem and phloem.

2. Describe the arrangement of the vascular bundles.

 the vascular bundles are arranged in a ring, with pith concentrated at the core of the
stem, rather than being scattered throughout the plant interior.
3. What is the function of pith rays?
These medullary or pith rays are essential for the radial conduction of the water,
minerals and other organic substances. They transport the substances from centre to
periphery. These rays are also known as vascular rays or pith rays
4. What is an herb?
 Herb refers to a herbaceous plant, defined as a small, seed-bearing plant without a
woody stem in which all aerial parts ,die back to the ground at the end of each growing
season. They can be use for medical purposes , flavour , scent , etc.
5.Tabulate the differences between an herbaceous and a woody stem
CRITERIA HERBACEOUS WOODY STEM
Color Green
Texture Stem are thin, and soft Stem are hard and tough
Life span For annual herbaceous It has a long life span
plant it has a short life
span of 1 year.
Secondary growth Herbaceous plants had a secondary growth in woody
little secondary growth or plant allows the plant stem
increase in thickness to increase in thickness or
girth. Secondary vascular
tissue is added as the plant
grows, as well as a cork
layer. The bark of a tree
extends from the vascular
cambium to the epidermis.

6. For old woody dicot stem, is it possible to have primary tissues still present in your
specimens? Why do you say so?
 The primary tissues in old woody dicot stem is no longer present because in woody
stems, the periderm, secondary xylem, and secondary phloem take over the function of
the epidermis, primary xylem, and primary phloem which is the primary tissue.
7. What primary permanent tissues did you see in the old woody stem?
Xylem and Phloem
8. How many annual rings did you see? What is the approximate age of your specimen?
7 rings ,the old woody stem is approximately 5 years old.
9. Is the heartwood physiologically active? Why do you say so?
The inner zone of the xylem of a heartwood is physiologically inactive regarding to water
conduction. In ageing tree, parenchyma cells die, and lose their reserve material and
the wood becomes impregnated with complex organic compounds.
10. Why does removing a ring bark around a tree kills it?
When a tree has been damaged by removing a ring of bark, the tree may die depending
on how completely it was girdled. The reason for damage due to girdling is that the
phloem layer of tissue just below the bark is responsible for carrying food produced in
the leaves by photosynthesis to the roots.
11. Tabulate the differences between sapwood and heartwood.
Criteria Sapwood Heartwood
Location Sapwood can be found in Heartwood can be found in
the peripheral or outer the central portion of an old
portion of an old dtem stem
Color Creamy white or yellowish Light pinkish-brown color,
color that deepens to a reddish-
brown and sometimes has
a purple hue.
Function Provides strength and no
 -Sapwood conducts sap longer function in
(primarily water), conducting minerals.
strengthens the stem, and
to some extent serves as a
storage reservoir for food.
-actively conducts water
and dissolved minerals
Composed of dead or living It is dead and non It is living cells in functional
cells functional parts of the parts of secondary xylem.
secondary xylem.
Resistance to decay` They are lack in toxic Resistant to decay
extractive and generally
susceptible to decay
References: Isabel Pinto, H. Pereira, and A.Usenius. (2003). Heartwood and Sapwood
Development within Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.)stems. Retrieved url 10/10/2020
from http://lib.tkk.fi/Diss/2004/isbn9513863743/article2.pdf

Conclusion:

Herbaceous plants are plants with very flexible stems. Their leaves and stems die down
to soil level at the end of every growing season. Herbaceous plants can be annual,
biennial or perennial. Annual herbaceous completely die every year then grow back
again from the seed. With biennial and perennial herbaceous only the stems and leaves
die at the end of growing season but parts of the plant survives and grows back from
those parts the next year. 

Woody plants are plants with very strong and not easily bendable stems such as trees.
Woody plants produce wood as a structural tissue. The stems branches and roots are
usually covered with a layer of bark. The wood that woody plants produce is a structural
cellular adaptation that allows them to survive harsh winters and continue growing
instead of dying. This adaptation therefore makes them the largest and tallest terrestrial
plants. Wood is primarily composed of xylem cells with cell walls made up of cellulose
and lignin. Woody plants form a new layer of woody tissue each year, increasing the
diameter of the stem. You can see these tissue layers inside a tree if you were to cut it
down. In some monocots such as palms, the wood is formed in bundles that are
scattered through the interior of the trunk.