Name: Remegia, Lord Matthew R.

Date: 11-30-2022
Course & Section: BSES-1A Score: ________

Laboratory Activity #6
Internal Morphology of Stems
Introduction
In this activity, we will review the functions of the various stem sections and learn how to explain the
fundamental internal structure of a dicot and monocot stem.

A vascular plant's stem and root are its two primary structural axes, accordingly. The epidermis,
vascular, and ground tissues, which make up the stem's three tissue systems and are all made of simple
cell types, are the epidermis, vascular, and ground tissues. The xylem and phloem, which are organized
in discrete strands known as vascular bundles and carry water and nutrients up and down the length of
the stem, sustain leaves, flowers, and fruits and transfer water and dissolved substances between the
roots and the shoots.

Morphology serves us the groundwork for comprehending function, taxonomy, inheritance, ecology,
development, and other areas of biology, giving us a foundation from which to study other areas of
biology. For the visual identification of plants, plant morphology is helpful.

Objectives
• Identify the internal parts of a dicot and monocot stem

Methodology

Specimen: Fresh sunflower ( Helianthus anuus), corn (Zea mays)

Materials: Compound Microscope, dissecting microscope, razor blades, slides, cover slip, safranin.

Procedure:
DICOT

1. Prepare a freehand sections of a young herbaceous dicot stem.

2. Examine them under LPO and HPO and take note of its parts.
MONOCOT

1. Prepare a slide of a monocot stem by freehand sectioning.

2. Stain it using safranin or methylene blue. Mount it on a slide and take note of its parts.

Results:
A. Draw the cross-section of a young dicot stem. Label all parts.

(NEXT PAGE)
B. Draw and label the parts of the x.s of a monocot stem.
Questions:

1. Which tissue occupies the center of a dicot stem?

A dicot stem's pith, which is surrounded by a ring of xylem, is made up of the centermost tissue. A
ring of phloem surrounds the xylem, which is then surrounded by it.

2. Describe the arrangement of the vascular bundles of dicot stem.

Instead of being dispersed throughout the interior of the plant, the pith of the dicot stem is
concentrated at the center of the ring-shaped arrangement of vascular bundles. Vascular cambium
is a material that keeps the xylem and phloem apart in each vascular bundle.
3. Do monocot stems have a vascular cambium?
Despite some of them, like palms and the Joshua tree, having secondary growth, monocots do not
have a vascular cambium. They instead possess a thickening meristem that generates secondary
ground tissue. With more vascular bundles differentiating within the secondary ground tissue, the
stem's diameter grows.

4. Tabulate the differences between a dicot and monocot stem.

Criteria Dicot Stem Monocot Stem

Arrangement of vascular
bundles
Presence of pith
Hypodermis
Presence of pith rays
Presence of vascular cambium
In the tissue of the earth,
vascular bundles are
dispersed. They are closed,
joint, and collateral.
The pith is absent. Monocots
have a less developed pith
(usually absent in most)
Collagen strands, which are
frequently green in color,
make up the hypodermis.
There are no pith (medullary)
rays.
There are vascular cambium
In the shape of one or two
broken rings, vascular bundles
are organized. In addition,
they are open, joint, and
collateral.
There is some pith. Well-
developed pith.
The fibers that make up the
hypodermis are not green;
they are sclerenchyma fibers.
There are pith (medullary)
rays.
There are no vascular
cambium
SPECIMEN

Stem of Helianthus anuus

Source: Phytoimages.siu.edu

Stem of Zea Mays

Source: Science Photo Library