Plant

tissues
PLANTS
Photosynthetic autotrophs
Obtain inorganic materials from the external
environment and process them into the
organic compounds needed for life
Cells secrete a cell wall exterior to the plasma
membrane
Plant Propagation
Asexual/vegetative reproduction
Clone
Meristems
Special types found at the growing tips, other
parts
Similar to proembryo, all cells can differentiate
Adventitious
Plant parts produced by dedifferentiation
Complexity
Dispersal means
Most primitive: spores
More complex: seed
Conducting/vascular tissue
Simpler plants: no conducting tissues
 Complex plants: with vascular tissues
Plant Organization
Root system- growth toward gravity; generally
below ground; consists of roots
Root – epidermis; cortex; stele (vascular tissue);
pith
Shoot system
Growth away from gravity along the axis
Generally above the ground
Consists of the stem and the leaves
Flowers are modified shoot system
Plant Tissues
Meristems
Surface or dermal tissues
Vascular tissues
Ground or fundamental tissues
Meristems
Responsible for increase in number of cells
Meristems do not specialize
Plant tissues are derived from the meristems
Three types:
Apical
Lateral
Intercalary
Meristems
Intercalary Meristem- plants without vascular
cambium (grasses)
Growth regions that occur at the
base of nodes
Growth
Primary growth
Inc in length of plants (apical meristem)
Secondary growth
Inc in plant girth (lateral meristem)
Select plants only (woody plants such as dicot
and gymnosperms)
Product: wood and cork
Plant growth patterns and
regions
Primary growth- growth in length; primary
meristems
Secondary growth- growth which increases
the girth or circumference of the plant
Vascular cambium- bet wood and bark
Cork cambium-found in the outer bark
Primary meristems
At tips
Shoot tip meristems (shoot system)
Stem meristem; leaf primordia; bud primordia
Root tip meristems
Primary meristems are permanent and self
perpetuating
Derivative meristems
Produced when meristem cells divide; forms
the tissue systems of the plant
 Protoderm- develops into surface or dermal tissues
 Procambium- develops into vascular tissue

 Ground meristem- fundamental /ground tissues

 Secondary meristems

 Vascular cambium- produces wood (strength);

produces part of bark (protection)
 Cork cambium- produces protective layer of bark
called cork
Plant Growth
Primary Growth
(roots and
shoots)

Secondary
Growth (roots
and shoots)
Meristems from Cell
Dedifferentiation
Dedifferentiate-any plant cell has the ability
to dedifferentiate

 Lateral root formation

 Adventitious growth

 Wound healing

 Secondary cork cambium

Primary Growth of Roots
Root cap
 protects the delicate meristems as the root
elongates through the abrasive soil
 secretes mucous that lubricates the soil

3 Zones of cells at successive station

 Zone of cell division
 Zone of cell elongation

 Zone of cell differentiation

Simple Tissues
Ground or fundamental
tissues
Fibers- for support
Photosynthetic cells
Storage cells
Fill in the spaces cells
Ground or Fundamental
Tissues
Parenchyma
basic tissue type
Collenchyma
supports young plants
Sclerenchyma
supports for mature plants
Parenchyma
Definition: a simple tissue composed of spherical-
shaped cells; most common type of tissue
Have thin primary walls
Living, metabolizing tissue
E.g. Chlorenchyma, Aerenchyma
Functions:
 Photosynthesis & Respiration
 Storage (starch, oil droplets, air, water, and salts)
 Wound healing & regeneration
Collenchyma
Definition: a simple tissue found beneath
the epidermis in young stems and in large
veins of leaves (“strings” in celery).
Provides a flexible support system (like our
skeletal system).
Found uniformly throughout the plant.
Elongated cells that have unevenly
thickened cell walls (especially in the
corners)
Alive at maturity
Sclerenchyma
Definition: a simple tissue
specialized for structural
support; occurs in many
areas
Two types:
Fibers
Sclereids
Have both primary and
secondary cell walls.
At functional maturity cells
are often dead
Fibers
Long, tapered cells that
often occur in groups or
clumps (abundant in the
wood and bark of
flowering plants)
Found in leaves & stems.
Primary function is
support
Sclereids
Short, cuboidal cells
common in shells of
nuts and pits of fruits
(peaches, cherries)
Found in all plant parts,
usually clustered.
Primary function is for
protection
Complex tissues
Vascular Tissue System
Vascular tissues
Functions: conduct water and solutes
support and strength of the
plant
Types of vascular tissues
Xylem- conducts water and minerals
Phloem- conducts solutes/food
Continues throughout the plant
Xylem
Conduction of H2O from roots to leaves
Made up the wood
Composed of:
 Vessel Elements- elongated cells with secondary
walls
 Dead at functional maturity; perforated

 Large diameter

 Tracheids – elongated, narrow cells with secondary

walls; dead at functional maturity; pitted
 Xylem fibers

 Xylem parenchyma

 Xylem rays

 Parenchyma cells and Fibers

Tracheids
Tracheids are typically found in
gymnosperms and seedless vascular plants
and aid in transporting water.
Vessel Elements
Vessel elements
are typically found
in angiosperms
and aid in
transporting water.
Phloem
Moves solutes (especially carbs)
Composed of:
Sieve tube cells
 Elongated cells forming tubes
 End walls have pores forming sieve plates

 Alive at functional maturity

 Carry food

Companion cells
 Parenchyma cells adjoining the sieve tube cells

 Phloem fibers

 Phloem parenchyma

(Sclerenchyma fibers and parenchyma cells)

Sieve tube members
Sieve tube members
can secrete a protein
called callose to plug
sieve plates to stop
the flow of food if
the phloem is
damaged
Complex tissues
Dermal Tissues
Surface or dermal
tissues
Protection
Prevents dessication
Dermal (surface) tissue
Epidermis (herbaceous plants)
 Cuticle (protective waxy layer)- prevents dessication
(cuticle) and invasion of pathogens , absorption of
water, control of gas exchange

Periderm or cork layer (woody plants)

 Produced from cork cambium
 Secondary epidermis or periderm of woody plants
Dermis
Epidermis: Two types
Parenchyma cells
Guard cells
NO Chloroplasts
Cuticle
A waxy layer
secreted by
epidermal cells of
stems and leaves
Prevents water loss
and diffusion of
gases
Cuticle Parenchyma cells
Guard cells
Guard cells form the tiny opening called the
stomata
Peridermis
Woody plants initially produce an epidermis that
splits as the plant grows.
These plants also have periderm, which is
several cells thick and forms under the
epidermis.
Periderm composes the outer bark
Composed of two types of cells
 Cork cells- secrete suberin
 Cork parenchyma
Dermal (surface) tissue
Epidermal modifications
Hairs of trichomes
 Root hairs: absorption of water
 Guard cells: form stomata for gas exchange

 Glands: modified cells containing oils or other

substances for secretion

Transport in Plants
Cellular level transport
Lateral transport
Long-distance transport
Plant Nutrition
Chemical composition of plants
80%-85% of herbaceous plants is H2O
Plants grow mainly by accumulating water in
the central vacuoles of their cells
Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen are the most
abundant elements in the dry weight of a plant
Essential Nutrients
Hydroponic structure- used to determine
which of the mineral elements are actually
essential nutrients
Macronutrients- elements required by plants
in relatively large amounts
Micronutrients- elements needed by plants in
small amounts