PLANT TISSUES: VASCULAR TISSUES The Circulatory System of Plants!

The Vascular System For plants to survive, they must… take in nutrients & water from environment transport water up to the leaves, and glucose back down for storage The plant’s vascular system is their “circulatory system” designed to transport materials within the plant!

Plant Tissues (Con’t): Ground Tissue: The internal non-vascular tissues are called the parenchyma (think flesh of a watermelon) Could be specialized for storage, support, photosynthesis, etc.

Plant Tissues (Con’t): Meristematic Tissue: Cells that can rapidly divide by Mitosis produce all growth in plants Apical Meristems are found at the tips of stems, roots, in rings around the stems of larger plants, etc.

Plant Tissues (Con’t): Dermal Tissue: Cells that protect the outer layers of a plant – epidermis is the outermost layer. These cells protect plants from disease & predators, and prevent water loss (Cuticle). Cork protects inner tissues from injury.

Plant Tissues (Con’t): Vascular Tissue: Cells that specialize in transport of water & other substances among cells Two types of tissues: Xylem Phloem

Vascular Tissues (Con’t): Xylem: water-conducting cells - from roots up to rest of the plant after maturation, these cells die; leaving thick-walled, hollow cells that are pitted or open at the ends  ideal for water transfer

Vascular Tissues (Con’t): Phloem: food-conducting cells - from one part of plant to another (mostly down towards roots) these living cells have large pores at their ends and share cytoplasm ideal for food transfer

Xylem and Phloem Compared…