Plant Tissues and

Primary Growth of Stems

Dr. Mark Lloyd G. Dapar
Professor (Assistant), Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Central Mindanao University, Musuan, Bukidnon
Coordinator, Microtechnique and Systematics Laboratory, Natural Science Research Center (NSRC), CMU, Bukidnon
Coordinator, Biodiversity Education Training Unit (BETU), Center for Biodiversity Research and Extension in Mindanao (CEBREM), CMU, Bukidnon
Regular Member, National Research Council of the Philippines, Department of Science and Technology, Taguig City
Outgoing Science Research Specialist, Research Center for the Natural and Applied Sciences, University of Santo Tomas, Manila
Junior Researcher, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Lehrstuhl für Pflanzensystematik, Universität Bayreuth, Bayreuth, Germany
EVOLUTION AND DIVERSITY OF PLANTS
A Q UICK S UMMARY
CLASSIFICATION OF LIFE
fungi rhodophytes

Three domains: plants alveolates

EUKARYOTA
Prokaryota Animals flagellates
cyanobacteria
basal protists
Archaea PROKARYOTA
LUCA
Eukaryota
heterotrophic
bacteria

Diverged from the Last Universal halophiles

Common Ancestor (LUCA) ARCHAEA

thermophiles

Tree or Ring of Life

PLANTS AND THE EVOLUTION OF LIFE
Endosymbiotic Theory
Divergence of eukaryotes from
prokaryotes
Mutualistic symbiosis of different
prokaryotes
Evolution and acquirement of
mitochondria and chloroplast.
EVOLUTION OF PLANTS
Chloroplasts:
Photosynthetic organelle
Cyanobacterium-derived
Possess single stranded circular DNA
CHARACTERISTICS OF PLANTS
Photosynthetic organisms
Cell Walls
Sedentary
Spores for reproduction
 GREEN PLANTS

LAND PLANTS

VASCULAR PLANTS

SEED PLANTS

FERNS AND
GREEN ALGAE BRYOPHYTES GYMNOSPERMS ANGIOSPERMS
FERN ALLIES

Green plant chloroplast

Cellulosic Cell Wall PHYLOGENY OF KINGDOM PLANTAE
PLANTS = LAND PLANTS
(EMBRYOPHYTES)
Does not include other eukaryotic
photosynthetic organisms (algae)
and fungi.

Includes the following groups:

Bryophytes
Ferns and Fern-allies
Gymnosperms
Angiosperms
 BRYOPHYTES (NON-VASCULAR PLANTS)

Liverworts Mosses Hornworts

HEPATOPHYTA BRYOPHYTA ANTHOCEROPHYTA
 FERNS AND FERN ALLIES
(SEEDLESS VASCULAR PLANTS)

Lycophytes Ferns
LYCOPHYTA PTERIDOPHYTA
 SEEDED VASCULAR PLANTS

Naked-seed/Non-flowering Vesseled-seed/Flowering
GYMNOSPERM ANGIOSPERM
 GYMNOSPERM – SEEDED NON-FLOWERING PLANTS

Cycads Conifers Gingko Welwitschia

CYCADOPHYTA Coniferophyta Gingkophyta Gnetophyta
 ANGIOSPERMS – SEEDED FLOWERING PLANTS

BASAL ANGIOSPERMS EUDICOT MONOCOT

TISSUES AND PRIMARY GROWTH OF
STEMS
CHAPTER 5
 ANIMAL CELLS VS. PLANT CELLS

Animal Cell Plant Cell

Presence of Cell Wall Absent Present
Presence of Chloroplast Absent Present
Presence of Vacuole Absent in most animals Present
Cell Size 10-30 um 10-100 um
 TYPES OF PLANT CELLS

PARENCHYMA COLLENCHYMA SCLERENCHYMA

PARENCHYMA
Most observed cell type
Thin cell walls and living protoplast
Characteristics: Apical meristem

Elongate to isodiametric
Live at full maturity and mitotic
Functions:
Respiration
Photosynthesis Chlorenchyma
Aerenchyma
Transport
Storage
Regeneration/Wound Healing

Storage Parenchyma Stellate Parenchyma

PARENCHYMA
Chlorenchyma
Large parenchyma cells with numerous
chloroplasts
Found in leaves and in some stems Apical meristem
Photosynthetic function
Storage parenchyma
Contain amyloplasts (function in production of
starch)
Aerenchyma
Air space-filled.
Chlorenchyma
Allow gas exchange between root and shoot
Aerenchyma
Usually found in aquatic plants
Stellate parenchyma
Allows internal circulation of air in plants.
Branched
Storage Parenchyma Stellate Parenchyma
COLLENCHYMA
Found along sides of young stems
and in stalk or midrib of leaves
Protoplast alive at maturity
Not as abundant as parenchyma
and sclerenchyma in distribution
within the plant
Functions:
Support
Strength and integrity for developing
plant
SCLERENCHYMA
Thick cell walls
Fiber Fiber
Dies at maturity
Impregnated with lignin for
structural support
Functions:
Support
Transport Sclereid

Types:
Fibers
Sclereids/Stone Cells

Fiber Sclereid
SCLERENCHYMA
Fibers Fiber Fiber
Long and narrow
Mechanical support
Sclereids/ Stone Cells
Isodiametric
May have functions in support Sclereid

Deter herbivory

Fiber Sclereid
PLANT TISSUES AS
SOURCES OF FOOD
Parenchyma and Fibers are mostly eaten in fruits and vegetables.

Sclereids make up the seed coating of beans and popcorn. Collenchyma is eaten within the ridges of celery
They also cause the grittiness in pears and apples
PLANT STEM
Together with the leaves,
they comprise the shoot
system
Supports the leaves, flowers,
and fruits
Conduction of water,
minerals, and sugars.
EXTERNAL MORPHOLOGY
OF STEMS
Node
Site of leaf attachment
Internode
Distance between node to node
Leaf Scar
A mark left by the leaf after it
falls off
Lenticels
Raised pores in woody plants for
gas exchange
Buds (Terminal or Axillary)
Undeveloped embryonic shoot
Node and Internode Leaf Buds
Leaf Scar Lenticels
 PHYLLOTAXY (LEAF ARRANGEMENT)

COLLENCHYMA

ALTERNATE OPPOSITE WHORLED

 MODIFIED STEMS

Rhizome Tuber Phylloclades

Fleshy, non-green underground Swollen tip of underground lateral Succulent stems, leaves modified into
stems (e.g. gingers) stem (e.g. potato) spines (e.g. cactus and euphorbia)
 MODIFIED STEMS

Stolon Bulb
Creeping horizontal plant stem that Condensed discoid stem with
forms new plants along its length (e.g. Corm fleshy scale leaves (e.g. onions
airplane plant) Vertical thick stems with and garlic)
thin, papery leaves (e.g
gladioluses)
CROSS SECTION OF NON-WOODY STEMS

MONOCOT BASAL ANGIOSPERMS AND EUDICOTS

Corn Sunflower
 MONOCOT STEM CROSS SECTION

Epidermis
Outermost layer

Cortex
Has large number of vascular
bundles

Vascular Bundle
Contains the xylem and
Zea mays (Corn) phloem (Vascular Tissues).
Covered by bundle sheathe
(sclerenchyma)
 cuticle
EPIDERMIS cell wall
epidermal cell

Outermost surface of an herbaceous

stem.
Single living layer of parenchyma cells.

Functions:
Epidermis and Cuticle Layer
Facilitates material exchange between
plant and the environment.
Guard cell
Prevents loss of water
Protects internal tissues from
mechanical damage
Stomata Trichomes
 cuticle
EPIDERMIS cell wall
epidermal cell

Cuticle
A waxy layer composed of cutin.
Helps retain water
Defense against spores and herbivory
Stomata
Epidermis and Cuticle Layer
Facilitates gas exchange
Comprised of the guard cell and the pore
Guard cell
Guard cells swell by absorbing water,
leading to the opening of the pore.
Usually open during daytime in most
species.
Stomata Trichomes
 cuticle
EPIDERMIS cell wall
epidermal cell

Trichomes
Elongated-derivative of epidermal cells
Makes it difficult for animal to land on or
feed on.
Shade underlying tissues by blocking
sunlight.
Epidermis and Cuticle Layer
Trichomes can be secretory, producing
substances deterring herbivory.
Guard cell

Stomata Trichomes
PLANT CARNIVORY IN
DROSERA SPECIES
KINDS OF
TRICHOMES
Simple
Branched
Branched Scale
Glandular
Scale

Unbranched/Simple Glandular (Right)

CORTEX Cortex

Interior of the epidermis.

Homogenous-looking cells.
Composed of photosynthetic
parenchyma and collenchyma.
Contains the vascular bundles.

In “dicots”, the core of stem is

called pith, and is comprised of
ground tissue.
CROSS SECTION OF NON-WOODY STEMS

MONOCOT BASAL ANGIOSPERMS AND EUDICOTS

Corn Sunflower
 Bundle
Phloem sheathe
VASCULAR BUNDLES
Contains primary vascular tissues
Xylem – Conducts water and minerals
Phloem – Conducts dissolved sugar
Covered by bundle sheathe composed
of sclerenchyma
In “dicots”, these are arranged one ring
surrounding the pith.
In monocots, these are scattered
throughout.

Note: different in animal circulatory

system comprising of closed tubes.
Xylem
 Bundle
Phloem sheathe
XYLEM
Function in mineral and water
conduction (hollow).
Parenchyma cells dead at maturity,
with lignified secondary cell walls
(impermeable to water).
Cells arranged end-to-end, forming
long tubes.
Composed of:
Tracheary elements
Parenchyma
Fibers
Xylem
TRACHEARY
ELEMENTS
Tracheid
Imperforate (only
pits at end walls).
Found in most
gymnosperms
Vessel
With perforation
plates.
Found in most
angiosperms
Tracheid Vessels. Simple (Left) and Compound (Right)
 Bundle
Phloem sheathe
PHLOEM
Function in sugar conduction.
Parenchyma cells with primary cell
walls only. Alive at maturity
Plasmodesmata (sieve pores) for cell to
cell communication lined with callose.
Cells are anucleated, activity is
dependent on closely associated cells.
Composed of:
Sieve elements
Parenchyma
Fibers Xylem
SIEVE
ELEMENTS
Sieve Cell
Only sieve areas.
Long and narrow
All vascular plants
except angiosperms
Albuminous cell
Sieve Tube Member
With sieve plates
Short and wide
Unique to angiosperms
Companion cell
Sieve areas of sieve cells Sieve plates of sieve tube members
PRIMARY GROWTH
Vertical growth, elongation of plant.
Elongation starts at apical meristems
(shoot or root).
Apical meristems are areas of actively
dividing cells.

Secondary growth is lateral thickening

of stem, forming wood.
Found in most “dicots”.
 Leaf Primordia
Leaf in its initial growth stage

Apical Meristem
Actively dividing for plant elongation
Subapical Meristem
Produces cells in region below. Visible
differentiation of specialized cells.

Protoderm/ Epidermis
Outermost layer of shoot
apical meristem

Provascular tissues
Darker, develops into the xylem
and phloem

SHOOT APICAL
MERISTEM Plectranthus
 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
PLANTS VS. PEOPLE
Animals have determinate growth and organogenesis, in which size and number of organs
are determined by genes. Plants have indeterminate growth and organogenesis, in which
size and organ development is not restricted by genes.
Thank you very much!