Collenchyma

and
Sclerenchyma

Plant Cytology and

Anatomy
BOT02A2 2022: Lecture 10

Prof Aleksei Oskolski

 Collenchyma
• Simple tissue

• Differs from parenchyma by

– Unevenly thickened primary nonlignified cell
walls
– Elongated cells (longer than parenchyma cells)

• Living at maturity

• Living protoplasts = capable of

meristematic activity
 Collenchyma
• Contains large amount of pectic
substances (colla = glue) and water
(pectins are hydrophilic)
Water in cell wall => plasticity

• Function: SUPPORT /
REINFORCMENT
–Plastic (young tissues) Elastic
(older tissue)
 Collenchyma
Supporting tissue in ribs and wings on
herbaceous stems and in leaf midribs and veins
Not found in roots
Very rare in monocots

Anthriscus sylvestris
Collenchyma
Clusters of collenchyma
supporting the ribs
Dicot stem: Pastinaca
Collenchyma
Stem with ribs

Conspicuous cluster of
Thin continuous layer of collenchyma collenchyma
 Collenchyma

Dicot stem: Ambrosia

Continuous layer
No clusters of collenchyma Smooth stem surface,
no ribs
Dicot leaf: sage Salvia mellifera
Collenchyma

Webb & Carlquist (1964)

Prominent venation
Collenchyma strands
accompany midrib and major
vascular bundles
Collenchyma is rare in stems and leaves of monocots Collenchyma
 Cell wall Collenchyma

Primary cell wall

very thick!

Intercellular space

TEM micrograph of a collenchyma cell from the wheat stem (colorized)

Three types of collenchyma (cross sections) Collenchyma

Lamellar Angular Lacunar

 Types/patterns Collenchyma
• Angular collenchyma
Unevenly thickened cell walls:
the thickenings are in the
cell corners
 Types/patterns Collenchyma
• Lamellar collenchyma
– Thickest on two opposite walls
(inner and outer tangential walls)
– Gives the impression of layers
 Types/patterns Collenchyma

• Lacunar collenchyma
– Similar to lamellar or
angular collenchyma, but
contains intercellular air
spaces

– Thickened walls occurs

next to air spaces
 Sclerenchyma
• Simple tissue

• Secondary cell wall (S1,

S2, S3) (T, L, T)

• Lignin in cell walls

• May or may not retain

living protoplasts at maturity

• Functions: support and

protection
 Sclerenchyma
• Secondary cell wall
(S1, S2, S3)

• Lignin in cell walls

S1
S2
S3

primary wall

Protoxylem fibre of bamboo (Girtsch, 2005)

 Sclerenchyma
• Lignin
– Anchors the cellulose
microfibrils – stronger and more
rigid

– Inert – protects against

chemical, physical and
biological attack

– Waterproof – regulates
hydration of the cellulose
microfibrils and the elasticity of Safranin: red stain,
reagent to detect lignin
the cell wall
 Two types: Fibers and Sclereids Sclerenchyma
Fibers Sclereids
Length is much greater than diameter Mainly isodiametric or slightly elongated

Sharp tapering ends Rounded cells without sharp ends

Pits are not branched Branched pits in cell wall occur
Intrusive apical growth Protruding growth (in some types of sclereids)
 Types of the plant cell growth
Intrusive growth
The growing cells invade the Symplastic
middle lamellas and
plasmadesmata of the
growth
neighbouring cells

The cell elongation is not

physically limited by The contact surfaces
neighboring cells. and plasmodesmata
Protruding growth between the growing
cells are kept constant
 Sclereids: types Sclerenchyma
Brachysclereids Sclereids can grow only prior the
– stone cells formation of secondary cell wall.

The presence of secondary cell

wall blocks the cell growth.
Filiform
sclereids
Shapes of sclereids reflect the
Osteosclereids
types and directions of their
growth at early stages.

Macrosclereids
Astrosclereids
Sclereids: pits Sclerenchyma

Branched pits
 Sclereids: types Sclerenchyma
Brachysclereids
• Isodiametric sclereids, no protruding
elongation

Stone cells in pear flesh

 Sclereids: types Sclerenchyma
Macrosclereids
Columnar sclereids, no protruding elongation

Occur singly (idioblasts - gritty) or in groups

(around seeds and “stones” in fruits)
 Sclereids: types Sclerenchyma
Astosclereids
• Star-like sclereids, with protruding elongation

Astrosclereids in
aerenchyma of Nymphaea
 Sclereids: types Sclerenchyma
Filiform sclereids
- Unidirectional protruding elongation

Filiform sclereids in
mesophyll of the Olea leaf.
 Sclereids: types Sclerenchyma
Osteosclereids
- Dumbbell-like shape, limited protruding
elongation

Osteosclereids in the leaf mesophyll of Hakea.

 Fibers Sclerenchyma

• Long, spindle-
shaped cells

• Intrusive apical
growth
Tapered tips
Few simple
(unbranched) pits

• Usually, occur in Symplastic Intrusive

Initial cells
groups elongation elongation
 Fibers: types Sclerenchyma
• Xylary (in wood) • Extraxylary (outside wood)
Primary
phloem
fibers

Secondary
phloem
Tilia fibers

Tilia
Betula

Secondary Fibers in
xylem fibers monocot
leaves
 Extraxylary fibers Sclerenchyma
• Primary phloem fibers Sclerenchyma caps near
conductive bundles
 Extraxylary fibers Sclerenchyma
• Primary phloem fibers
- Very long (up to
2-15 cm in
length for flax
fibers )

Thick walls

With simple pits

in walls
 Extraxylary fibers Sclerenchyma
• Secondary phloem (bast) fibers

- Shorter than
the primary
phloem fibers
(ca. 0,6 – 3 mm)

Thick walls

Simple pits

Oak (Quercus) bark

 Extraxylary fibers Sclerenchyma
• Fibers in monocot leaves
- Shorter than
the primary
phloem fibers
(few mm)

Thin to thick
walls

Simple pits

Grass Poa
Xylary fibers (= in wood) Sclerenchyma
“Fibre Libriform
Tracheids tracheids” fibers

Many bordered Few small Only small simple

pits bordered pits pits
 Economic fibers Sclerenchyma

• Hemp, Flax, Sisal etc.

Cotton “fibers” are trichomes

(hairs on epidermal cells).
These “fibers” are not true
fibers
 Economic fibers Sclerenchyma
Flax – Linen (Linum ustilatissimum)

Primary phloem fibers of 2-15 cm long.

 Economic fibers Sclerenchyma
Hemp (Cannabis sativum)

Primary phloem fibers of 1,5-5 cm long.

 Economic fibers Sclerenchyma
Hemp (Cannabis sativum)

Primary phloem fibers of 1,5-5 cm long.

 Economic fibers Sclerenchyma
Sisal (Agave sisalana) Leaf fibers
 Economic fibers Sclerenchyma
New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax)

Leaf fibers of 2-6 cm long

 Sclerenchyma
Secondary phloem fibers of baobab (Adansonia digitata)
Fibers in secondary phloem of baobab
 Sclerenchyma
Secondary phloem fibers of baobab (Adansonia digitata)

Gambia Madagascar

bark harvesiting of baobab in Zimbabwe rope made of the baobab fibers

 Natural vs Synthetic fibers?
Natural fibers: Synthetic fibers
• Environmentally friendly • Petrochemical derived -> non-biodegradable
• Preferred for human wear • More durable,
• Less durable • Cheap
• Expensive • Low melting temperature
 Fiber identification
• Purchaser needs method to verify the
quality and identity of material

• Fibers can be used for taxonomic

identification
= Taxonomic importance

• Diagnostic characters of fibers:

length, width, ratio of wall thickness to
diameter of lumen
 Fiber identification
Diagnostic characters:
• Length, width, ratio of wall thickness to diameter of lumen
 Summary
- Collenchyma: simple tissue of living elongated cells with
unevenly thickened nonlignified primary walls.
- Collenchyma is supporting tissue in stems and leaves of
dictots. Occurs very rarely in monocots.
- Lamellar vs angular vs lacunar collenchyma
- Sclerenchyma: simple tissue that made of living or died cells
with thickened lignified secondary walls. Functions: support
and protection.
- Two types of sclerenchyma cells: sclereids (isodiametric to
moderately elongated, protruding growth) vs fibers (very
elongated, intrusive growth)
- Sclereids: brachysclereids, macrosclereids, astrosclereids,
osteosclereids, filiform sclereids.