Plant

Tissues
CAG1010
Dr. Shiamala
Plant Structure:
Cells, Tissues and Structures

 Plant cells are grouped into

tissues based on similar
characteristics, then into six
distinct structures

 Tissues: • Structures:
1. Meristematic Tissues 1. Leaves
2. Permanent Tissues 2. Stems
-Parenchyma 3. Roots
-Collenchyma 4. Flowers
-Sclerenchyma 5. Fruits
-Xylem 6. Seeds
-Phloem
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 CELLS

 Individual building blocks for

life processes and growth.

 Common cells contain genetic

matter (DNA) and metabolic
organelles but are mostly
water.

 In green plants, cells are the

site for sugar production
(photosynthesis)
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 Tissue

 A tissue is a group of cells organized to form a functional unit

or a structural unit

 Tissues are meant for meeting the physical and physiological needs
of the plant body.

 Angiosperm plant body shows two major types of tissues namely,

 Meristematic tissue

 Permanent tissues or non- meristematic tissue

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Plant Tissues

⚫ Neighboring cells are

often connected by
plasmodesmata.

⚫ Plasmodesmata are
strands of cytoplasm
that pass through
openings in cell walls
and connect living cells.
 Chlorenchyma

Parenchyma Aerenchyma

Collenchyma Vascular
Simple
Scleride
Sclerenchyma
Fibers
Plant tissue

Meristematic
Xylem tracheids
Permanent
Xylem tracheae
Xylem
Xylem fibers

Xylem parenchyma

Complex Sieve tubes

Companion cells
Floem
Phloem
parenchyma
Epidermis
Phloem fibres
Main function – to continuously form a number of new cells and
help in growth.
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 Apical Meristems

 In plants belonging to the

DICOT class, apical
meristems are located in
BOTH the shoot tips and
root tips. A shoot is simply a
young, leaf-bearing stem.

 MONOCOT only have

apical meristem in their
root tips.
Microscopic View of an
Apical Meristem
 Apical Meristems

 Apical meristems
cause PRIMARY
GROWTH.
 As cells in apical
meristems divide
and elongate,
shoot tips and root
tips grow longer.
This increase in
length is called Apical Meristem in
primary growth. a Root Tip
 Apical Meristems

 A bud is a
dormant apical
meristem.
 When conditions
are favorable for
growth, buds
“break” and begin
pushing out new
growth.
Bud Break
 Intercalary Meristems

 In addition to the apical meristems located in their root tips,

plants in the MONOCOT class have special meristems called
intercalary meristems.
 Intercalary meristems are located on monocots where the
leaf bases connect to the stem of the plant.
 Intercalary Meristems

Monocots, like grasses, have intercalary

meristems which allow the leaves to grow
back after mowing.
 Lateral Meristems

 In addition to the
apical meristems
located in the shoot
and root tips, plants in
the DICOT class have
lateral meristems.
 Lateral meristems
cause SECONDARY
GROWTH.
 Secondary growth Lateral Meristems cause an
causes stems and roots increase in stem diameter
to grow larger in
diameter.
 Chlorenchyma

Parenchyma Aerenchyma

Collenchyma Vascular
Simple
Scleride
Sclerenchyma
Fibers
Plant tissue

Meristematic
Xylem tracheids
Permanent
Xylem tracheae
Xylem
Xylem fibers

Xylem parenchyma

Complex Sieve tubes

Companion cells
Floem
Phloem
parenchyma
Epidermis
Phloem fibres
Permanent Tissues

 Formed by the differentiated cells, which become specialized to perform

specific functions like protection, support, storage and conduction.
 They stopped dividing

 Categorized into two types:

1. Simple Permanent Tissues

 described as homogenous, since the constituent cells are identical in
their structure. Based on their main function, are distinguished into
three types:

1. Parenchyma
2. Collenchyma 17
3. Sclerenchyma
Parenchyma - found throughout the plant, these tissues
perform important functions like photosynthesis

Colenchyma - structural support in herbaceous plants

Sclerenchyma- hard structural support (trees)

 Parenchyma

- are the general purpose ceIIs of plants

- cells are rounded in shape & have
uniformly thin walls found in all parts of the
plants.
- living at maturity, have large vacuoles
- location Ieaf, stem (pith), roots, fruits
Functions:
 basic metabolic function (respiration,
photosynthesis (chIorenchyma in leaf)
& protein synthesis)
 storage (potatoes, fruits, & seeds)
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 wound healing and regeneration
 In the different regions of the plant body, parenchyma
cells are involved in different functions. On this basis,
following types of parenchyma can be recognized:

 Chlorenchyma
 contain large number of chloroplasts.
 takes part in photosynthesis.
 occurs in the leaves and other green parts of
the plant body.

 Aerenchyma
 enclose large intercellular spaces that are filled
with air.
 helps in buoyancy and respiration.
 found in aquatic floating plants.

 Prosenchyma
 cells are elongated with tapering ends.
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Collenchyma
 Mainly meant for providing mechanical support to the shoot system of a
plant.

 Found just under the stem epidermis and along leaf veins.

 Completely absent in the root.

 Composed of elongated cells that are compactly arranged but sometimes

the cells may enclose small intercellular spaces.

 Collenchyma cells can appear either polygonal or spherical or oval in

shape.

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 The cell organelles are usually found in a functional state.

 Collenchyma is commonly described as a simple, living, mechanical

tissue

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 Sclerenchyma
 A type of simple permanent tissue meant for providing mechanical support
and protection to different parts of the plant body.

 Occurs in all the parts of the plant body, including the fruit and seed.

 Cells are usually elongated, with tapering ends (sclerenchyma fibres)

 Found just under the stem epidermis and along leaf veins

 In some cases, cells are shorter and irregular in shape (sclereids or stone
cells).

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 Commonly described as a simple, dead, mechanical tissue.

 Cells are characterized by the presence of a thick cell wall.

 Composed of a primary wall and a secondary wall.

 Primary wall made up of cellulose
 Secondary wall is made up of a very hard polysaccharide called
lignin.

 Cells lose their living characters at maturity.

 Cells cytoplasm, nucleus and cell organelles are absent at maturity.

 Vacuole is represented by an empty space called lumen that 24

extends throughout the length of the cells.
 Sclerenchyma fibres usually found
forming protective structures in the root
and the stem.

 Also found to be associated with xylem

and phloem.

 May also occur in the fruit wall.

 Sclereides are usually found in the fruit

wall and the seed coat.

 Compared to the fibres, the sclereides

are much harder since they have a
higher amount of lignin.

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 Chlorenchyma

Parenchyma Aerenchyma

Collenchyma Vascular
Simple
Scleride
Sclerenchyma
Fibers
Plant tissue

Meristematic
Xylem tracheids
Permanent
Xylem tracheae
Xylem
Xylem fibers

Xylem parenchyma

Complex Sieve tubes

Companion cells
Floem
Phloem
parenchyma
Epidermis
Phloem fibres
Complex Permanent Tissues

 Also known as vascular tissues or conducting tissues, since

they are involved in the movement of various chemical
substances in the plant body known as translocation. It is of
two types namely.

 Inorganic Translocation
 involves the movement of water and mineral
substances. It is a unidirectional movement taking
place from the root system to the shoot system.

 Organic Translocation
 involves the movement of organic substances such as
hormones and food. It is a bi-directional movement.

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 The complex permanent tissues are classified into two types, namely:

Both add structural support

 Xylem - conducts water and minerals, long tapering cells that act
as pipes of a sort
 Phloem - conducts food

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Xylem

 Specialized for the conduction of water and mineral substances in

the plant body.

 A heterogenous tissue made up of four different types of cellular

elements.

 Xylem tracheids and tracheae – essential elements – directly

involved in the translocation of water and mineral substances.

 Xylem fibers and parenchyma – associated elements – supporting

structures.
Xylem tracheids, trachea and fibers are non-living components, while
xylem parenchyma represents the only living component of the tissue.
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Xylem is commonly described as a dead, complex permanent tissue.
 Tracheid is characterized by the presence
of a thick cell wall consisting of primary
wall and a secondary wall.

 The primary wall is composed of cellulose

and the secondary wall is made up of
lignin.

 A spacious lumen extends throughout the

length of the tracheid.

 In some cases, due to the deposition of

lignin, the primary wall develops
numerous concave depressions called
pits. When pits are present, the tracheid
is described as pitted and when pits are
absent, it is described as simple.

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 Xylem can be distinguished into two types:

 Primary xylem
 Primary xylem is the xylem that is formed
during normal growth. It is a derivative of
primary meristem.

 It occurs in both monocots and dicots.

 Secondary xylem
 Secondary xylem is the xylem that is
formed during secondary growth. It is
derivative of secondary meristem.

 It is a characteristic feature of only dicots.

 Secondary xylem is commonly known as

wood.

 It is of commercial importance since it is

extensively used in the manufacturing of
doors, windows and furniture.

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Phloem
 A complex permanent tissue specialized for the conduction of
food and other organic substances.

 A heterogenous tissue, made up of four different types of cellular

elements:

 Sieve tubes
 Companion cells
 Phloem parenchyma
 Phloem fibres

 Sieve tubes and companion cells – essential elements – directly

involved in the translocation of the organic substances.

 Phloem parenchyma and phloem fibres – associated elements –

play only a supporting role in the process.

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 The sieve tubes, the companion cells and the phloem parenchyma
represent the living components of the tissue while phloem fibres
represent the only nonliving component of the tissue.

 Phloem is commonly described as a living, complex permanent

tissue

 Sieve Tubes
 The most active food conducting elements in the phloem tissue.

 Found arranged parallel to one another from one end of the plant
body to another.

 Each sieve tube is formed by a series of hollow, cylindrical cells

called sieve tube cells arranged one above the other.

 The sieve cells are separated from each other by horizontal

perforated plates called sieve plates. 34
 The sieve cells communicate with each
other through the sieve plates.

 Each sieve cell has a thin cell wall,

which is composed of only cellulose.

 The cell has a central mass of dense

cytoplasm. The granular cytoplasm
forms a number of projections called
cytoplasmic strands extending towards
the sieve plate.

 Nucleus is absent.

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36
 Companion Cells
 More or less spindle shaped cells
associated with the sieve tube cells.

 Each companion cell is found attached to

any one lateral surface of a sieve cell.

 The companion cell and the neighboring

sieve cell together represent a pair of
sister cells.

 The companion cell has a granular

cytoplasm, prominent nucleus and one or
two small vacuoles.

 The nucleus of the companion cell is said

to be capable of exerting its influence on
the adjacent sieve cells.

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 Phloem can be distinguished into two types namely:

1. Primary phloem

 Formed during normal growth in the plant body.

 A derivative of primary meristem.

 Found in both monocots and dicots.

 Further composed of protophloem and metaphloem.

 Protophloem – sieve tubes and the companion cells, which appear earlier during normal
growth
 Metaphloem – sieve tubes and companion cells that appear later.

 However, there is no significant morphological difference

between protophloem and metaphloem.
 Secondary phloem

 Formed during secondary growth.

 A derivative of secondary
meristem.

 Found only in dicots.

 Also known as bast and of

commercial importance since it
yields bast fibers.

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 Epidermis
⚫ Acts similar to human skin.
⚫ Function:
⚫ Covers the outside of a plant, providing
protection in a variety of ways.
Details:
⚫ Epidermis is made of live parenchyma
cells.
⚫ Can be made of dead parenchyma
cells; makes the outer bark of woody
plants.
⚫ Cell types: Made of parenchyma cells

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 Usually forms projections known as epidermal hairs.

 In the root, the epidermal hairs are unicellular and are called as root hairs.
The root hairs penetrate between the soil particles to absorb water.

 In the stem and the leaf, the epidermal hairs are multicellular known as
trichomes which involved in the secretion of some terpenoid compounds.

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 The epidermis of the stem and the leaf is usually surrounded by a
thin, covering called cuticle.

 It is formed by a waxy substance called cutin and meant for

preventing excessive evaporation of water.

 Cuticle is absent in the root epidermis.

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 The epidermis of the leaf and
herbaceous stem (green stem)
contains numerous minute
openings called stomata.

 Each stoma is surrounded by a

pair of modified epidermal cells
called the guard cells.

 The stomata take part in vital

physiological functions such as
transpiration, respiration and
photosynthesis.

 Stomata are absent in the

epidermis of the root and woody
stem.

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Leaves anatomy

Dicot
leaves
anatomy
 a
c d
b

e f
g
h i
j
How about monocot leaves
anatomy?

Dicot leaves Monocot leaves

anatomy anatomy
Monocot & dicot stem
Leaves

 Cuticle is thicker on the top of a leaf than it is on the bottom

 Stomata - opening controlled by guard cells. More stomata on
bottom of leaves
 Mesophyll- photosynthetic tissue of leaf
 Palisade layer - cells stacked more closely together,
toward the upper epidermis, primary site of photosynthesis
 Spongy layer - cells more loosely organized, toward lower
epidermis, some photosynthesis, but primarily engaged in
gas diffusion within the leaf
 Xylem and phloem pass through mesophyll (xylem toward the
top and phloem toward the bottom)
Monocot or Dicot
 Monocot and dicot stems differ in the arrangement of their vascular
system.

(1) In monocot stems, the xylem and phloem are paired in bundles, with
bundles dispersed throughout the stem.

(2) In herbaceous dicot stems, the vascular system makes a ring, with
the phloem to the exterior and xylem to the interior.
Root anatomy

 Root cap
 Region of cell division
 Region of elongation
 Region of differentiation or
maturation
 There are 4 major zones of root development:

1. Root Cap Region

2. Region of Cell Division:

 This is where the cells start to divide through
mitosis
 Remember, this is where the apical
meristem is located

3. Region of Elongation:
in this area just above the apical meristem,
cells become longer and wider. This action
helps to push the root tip through the soil.

4. Region of Maturation:
at this point, the cells become specialized, or
differentiated, taking on specific primary
functions. For example, the development of
root hairs, xylem, phloem, etc.
 Dicot Root in Cross Section

•Casparian strip around endodermis cells controls water movement.

•Pericycle: layer of parenchyma cells, inside of endodermis, from which branch
roots can arise