83 Plant Tissues and Cells ‘Tissues are groups of cells carrying out a particular function. A tissue may have only one kind of cell (simple plant tissue) or several kinds of cells (mixed plant tissue). Plant tissues can be divided into dermal, vascular or ‘ground tissue. Dermal tissue Vascular tissue Ground tissue Dermal tissue Vascular tissue ‘Ground tissue Dermal tissue Vascular tissue Ground tissue Figure 88.1 Piant tissues. Dermal tissue Dermal tissue forms the outer protective coating of plant organs, e.g. epidermis of roots, stems and leaves. In leaves and some stems the epidermis is coated with a waxy cuticle. Vascular tissue ‘Vascular tissue is the xylem and phloem. Xylem ‘transports water up the plant from the roots to the leaves. Phloem translocates organic materials, .g. sugars up or down the plant from where they are made or stored to where they are needed. Ground tissue Ground tissue is the pith (internal to the vascular tissue) and the cortex (external to the vascular tissue). Science Poss Surfing NSW Biology Modules 1 and 2 Plant cell types * There are several types of plant cells. + Parenchyma are long cells with a roughly spherical cross-section that have relatively thin cell walls. They make up the bulk of herbaceous plants forming the packing cells of stems and roots. They are the ‘typical’ plant cells and are where most metabolic functions of the plant occur, e.g. synthesising and storing organic products such as photosynthesis in the lee. + Collenchyma are narrow, elongated cells with additional cell wall deposits at the comers of the cells which ‘make the cell walls unevenly thickened. They are never lignified which means they are flexible and can be stretched, They provide support, e.g. in stems and leaves. + Sclerenchyma have thickened walls strengthened ‘with lignin to give support. There are two types of sclerenchyma: fibres and sclereids. Fibres form long, slender threads. Sclereids are shorter and more circular and have branching pits, e.g, giving hardness to rutshells and seed coats, + Phloem consists of sieve tubes and companion cells. Sieve tubes lack a nucleus and have end walls with pores that form a sieve plate which allows the translocation of sugars and other organic compounds all over the plant. + Xylem consists of xylem vessels and tracheids which lose their nucleus and cytoplasm 2s they mature. Tracheids are long thin cells with tapered ends. Xylem vessels are wider, shorter and offer less resistance to water flow as the end walls are ‘broken down to form a continuous tube. Xylem gives mechanical support to the plant and conducts water and mineral salts from the roots to the leaves. cross-section Longitudinal sction @ Cc) © Figure 63.2 Different types of plant cals. (a) Parenchyma, {b) Collenchyma. (c} Scterenchyma with additional cross- section of sclereids. (¢) Phloem. (e) Xylem.QUESTIONS: 1. What is a tissue? 2. Distinguish between a simple plant tissue and a mixed plant tissue, 3. Name the three types of plant tissue, 4. Construct a table to summarise the function of each type of plant tissue and give an example for each type. 5. Where do you find the pith and the cortex in a plant? 6. Construct 2 table to summarise the structure and role of the five types of plant cells. 7. In the laboratory under certain conditions scientists have been able to produce an entire plant from a single parenchyma cell. What does this show about parenchyma? The diagram shows a type of plant cell Cals interlock with no ae ‘spaces to form rigid skeleton Long thin cal ‘Tapered ond AL Thick ooll wall with lignin deposits ‘Simple pit connecting empty lumen of mature celis Figure 83.3 Type of plant cell. Ident this type of cell and give reasons for your a The ‘strings® of a celery stalk are strands of collenchyma cells found between the epidermis and avein, What is the function of the collenchyma in celery stalks? ‘The diagram shows a cross-section of a stem. 10. 14. Figure 83.4 Cross-section through a leaf. Identify the cell types labelled X and Y and identify the tissues they form. ‘The first formed plant tissues in seedlings and herbs are called primary tissues. Meristems in the tips of roots and in the buds of shoots allow primary growth, of plants. Outline an advantage of having meristems that can act as an embryonic tissue throughout the life of the plant. . i Moouie 1 Ceus As me Bass Or Lee © 116.” Moous 2 Oncansation OF Livine Tres 13. 12, ‘The diagram shows a longitudinal section through @ stem, Figure 83.5 Stem longitudinal section. Identify this type of cell and give reasons for your decision. ‘The diagram shows the cross-section of a part of a plant. Figure 83.6 Cross-section through a part of a plant. (a) Identify the part of the plant from where this section was cut. Copy this diagram and label the dermal tissue, the vascular tissue and the ground tissue. ‘The diagram shows a cross-section through a part of aplant. (o) Figure 83.7 Cross-section through a part of a plant. What is cell type R and its fimetion? (A) It isa sieve tube and involved in the transport of sugars in the plant, It is sclerenchyma and supports the stem, Itis collenchyma and supports the root. Itis a xylem vessel and involved in the transport of water in the plant. (B) «) @) Sciance Pees Surfing NSW Biology Medules 1 and 2