5. Mechanical Tissue system 5.

1 Tissues providing mechanical strength and support

and their disposition 5.2 I-girders in aerial and underground organs 5.3 Types of
Vascular Bundles.

INTRODUCTION: Plant organs are to withstand various strains and

stress conditions like bending due to high winds, stretching due to presence
of fruits, snow fall, heavy rains etc. The stems are compressed due to large
number of branches and leaves at its top. To withstand these strains the
cell walls provides mechanical strength in all cells. The cell walls of
parenchyma, collenchyma and sclerenchyma provide mechanical rigidity
to the plant. The tissue that supports a plant and their growing organs against
any strain and stress and provides mechanical strength is termed as
mechanical tissue. Schwendener (1874) termed the mechanical tissues as
stereids. Schwendener is of opinion that stereids collectively constitute the
stereome or mechanical tissue system of plants. In order to maintain the
stability, different tissues have their division of labour.
PRINCIPLES INVOLVED IN DISTRIBUTION OF MECHANICAL TISSUES:
An engineer always think while constructing a bridge or building to ensure the
maximum of strength with the minimum expenditure of material. In the same manner
plants also obtained the strength and solidity with the smallest possible
expenditure of material. The most important of the principles that govern the
distribution of mechanical tissue system are - inflexibility, inextensibility,
incompressibility and shearing stress.
1. Inflexibility The terrestrial trees are mechanically rigid due to the presence of strong
stem and formation of heartwood at the centre. Plants not having strong stem are the
sufferers and so they form the mechanical cells to resist the forces. The distribution of
mechanical cells in the inflexible organs was compared with the railway line or girder,
which is used in the construction of bridges, buildings etc. by Schwendener (1874).
The girder consists of two horizontal plates, upper and lower, which are connected by
vertical plate. In cross sectional view, it resembles the English alphabet capital I, so
these are called I-girder. The horizontal plate is called flange and the vertical plate is
termed as web. If the load is hanged at the middle of I-girder, the upper flange tends
to be compressed and the lower flange is subjected to extension. Both the flanges
suffer the strains, but at the middle of web, neither the compression nor the extension
strain is operative. This line is null-line as it is neutral regarding the strains.
2. Incompressibility :i) Resistance to Longitudinal Compressions : Plants having
cylindrical stems are to withstand the longitudinal compression. Such plants are weighted at
their top by branches and leaves. The load coincides with the longitudinal axis of the stem,
so mechanical tissues are condensed at the centre forming a pillar like structure. If the
stem is not columnar and a slight asymmetry of construction, the mechanical cells are
distributed like inflexible organs. Thus, any columnar structures which occur in the plant
body must be constructed so as to withstand bending, (ii) Resistance to Radial Pressure :
The cylindrical organs of the plant body are subjected to radial compression. The
underground roots as well as the roots of submerged plants remain surrounded by soil
and water respectively. In this case, the roots withstand to radial or crushing pressure, The
organs of the plant body which suffer radial pressure bear mechanical cells at the
peripheral sides to withstand radial compression, The stilt roots of Zea mays show a
remarkable combination of incompressibility and inextensibility in the distribution of
mechanical cells, Aerial part of stilt roots are to withstand longitudinal stretching and
underground part suffer from longitudinal compression. Thus, the same root is sometimes
compressed and extended. So mechanical cells are present in the centre and sclerenchyma is
present on the periphery to ensure incompressibility. To resist the strain from any direction
several I-girders are constructed perpendicular to long axis in a circular manner. The flanges
are arranged in such a way that the middle of the web or null-line intercepts a common point
forming a composite I girder that can rest forces from all directions. The flanges of a girder
are always composed of mechanical cells, whereas the web may consist of vascular tissues
or parenchyma .
3. Inextensibility: The anchoring organs of the plant body like roots and rhizomes are
subjected to longitudinal tension. The fruit stalk, lians and climbers are to withstand
the longitudinal tension, as they are to hold and bear the weight of fruits when
they hang over the supporting object. In rooted hydrophytes, the water currents are
responsible for longitudinal stretching. The inextensible organs of the plant body
develop mechanical cells in the centre to withstand longitudinal tension. It resembles
with electrical cable. In the cable the central strand is made up of metallic wire.
This principle is seen in inextensible organs of the plant in roots, the stele consists
of tissue like xylem and sclerenchyma. The formation of mechanical cells at the centre
is also observed in hydrophytes (e.g Potamogeton), maize root and in the lians in the
fruit stalks (eg Dioscorea, Jackfruit) etc. 4. Shearing Stress: The leaves and similar
organs of terrestrial plants are to withstand the shearing stress when they lacerate. The
organs of aquatic plant also are to withstand the shearing stress when they move
violently. Shearing stress is the action of force causing two contacting parts or
layers to move apart in opposite direction. Due to presence of reticulate venation the
dicot leaves are mechanically rigid. In monocot leaves, parallel I-girders formed
fibrovascular bundles are present. Sclerotic strands are also present in the hypodermal
region and leaf margins. The epidermal cells of leaf is cuticularized and motor cells to
withstand shearing stress.
TISSUES PROVIDING MECHANICAL SUPPORT, THEIR DISTRIBUTION IN DICOT
LEAF :The leaves generally bend downward, so its upper surface is under tension.
Where as the lower surface is under compression. There is great stress on the upper and
lower surface and least stress is in the centre. The midrib and larger veins of the leaf
represent the girders. In dicot leaf, just near the upper epidermis and above lower
epidermis there is presence of collenchyma cells. The collenchyma therefore,
represents the flanges on an I-beam, while the tissues between the two bands of
collenchyma represent the web. Sclerenchyma cells which are adjacent to the phloem
affords mechanical protection. Xylem elements of vascular bundles also give
mechanical support to the leaves. Mechanical tissues in monocot leaf: shearing
stress: (1) Upper epidermis of monocot leaf e.g. Zea mays possesses the characteristic
bulliform (Motor cells) cells. These cells are larger in size than the adjoining cells. The
cells are hyaline and empty. They give mechanical support to the long leaf and prevent
from folding, These cells are often filled with silica and outer walls become thick and
cuticularised thus providing mechanical rigidity to leaves. (2) There are many vascular
bundles arranged in parallel and alternate to each other. In addition to conduction
vascular bundles also help in giving mechanical support to the leaf. (3) There are
patches of sclerenchyma, compactly arranged and appear as a cap over and below the
vascular bundle. These cells are called bundle sheath extension, which give mechanical
support. [Link] large vascular bundles with their sclerenchymatous bundle sheath
extensions form I girder. It gives mechanical strength against shearing stress,
[Link] in epidermal cells of the leaves (bulb scale) of Allium sativum (garlic) give
 TISSUES PROVIDING MECHANICAL SUPPORT, THEIR DISTRIBUTION
IN DICOT STEM :Inflexibility and Incompressibility- Longitudinal resistance:
Collenchyma These cells appear polygonal in their structure. The cells are living
with persistent protoplasts, According to J. Cohn collenchymatous walls contain 60-
70 percent of water. The cell walls consist of cellulose and pectin. The
deposition restricted to the corners of the cells. This peculiarity is closely connected
with the fact that collenchyma serves as the mechanical tissue of growing organs.
When the general wall thickening becomes much at the corners cell appears to be
circular, Collenchymatous thickenings are to be present on the walls facing the
intercellular spaces e.g. Members of Compositae.
In most of the cases, the collenchyma is a compact tissue having no intercellular
spaces. In dicot stem, collenchyma is mainly present in the outer cortex. The
parts of the plant which have ceased to elongate and possess hard collenchyma.
Collenchyma gives support to growing organs. It gives flexibility and plasticity
to the organs. Curtis (1938) reported that the old tissue is harder and more brittle
than young.
Sclerenchyma : These are thick walled lignified cells. This tissue is hard with low
quantity of water. The walls are uniformly thick and strong ,having deposition of
lignin on the walls.. This tissue may occur in patches or may be in continuous
bands. They also form bundle sheaths sometimes. In dicot stem they are in
patches just above the vascular bundles.
Tissues providing mechanical support, their distribution in Monocot stem:
Inflexibility and Incompressibility- Longitudinal resistance:
In monocotyledons, the arrangement of the strengthening material is very similar
in principle to the concrete columns of the building. The concrete withstands
compression, while the iron rods withstand the tension due to movements etc.
Parenchyma cells helps to withstand the compression, while the Sclerenchyma
strands, which are connected with vascular bundles, withstand the tension.
Sclerenchyma cells are grouped into fibres and sclereids. Long cells are fibres and short
are sclereids. Both fibres and sclereids give mechanical support to the plant.
Vascular bundles remains completely surrounded by a sheath of sclerenchyma cells,
which is particularly well developed on the sides towards the centre and toward
periphery of the stem. Sometimes monocot stem become hollow in the centre, so
vascular bundles are present at the periphery to extend mechanical support. Below
epidermis two to three layers of sclerenchymatous hypodermis is present which
gives mechanical support.
Concrete

Iron rods

:Parenchyma
Tissues providing mechanical support, their distribution in Dicot root:
Inextensibility and resistance to radial pressure: The xylem bundles in dicot roots may be
tetrarch, pentarch or hexarch. The pericycle gives rise to secondary meristems e.g. cambium
and phellogen. Xylem occupies the central core, which gives mechanical support to the root.
Some dicotyledonous roots also develop a specialized layer the exodermis just beneath the
epidermis. Since the walls of exodermis become suberized, it gives protection to the inner cells
and provide mechanical support too. Dicot roots show secondary growth in which secondary
xylem and secondary phloem is formed. Secondary xylem gives mechanical support. Pith is also
replaced by xylem and provide mechanical support in addition of conduction.
Tissues providing mechanical support, their distribution in Monocot root:
Inextensibility and resistance to radial pressure, longitudinal stress : Sclerenchyma is more
common in roots of monocotyledons than those of dicotyledons. 1) The xylem groups are many
and show polyarch condition. 2) Pith is well developed and in certain cases it becomes
sclerenchymatous. 3) Beneath the epidermis there are present one or two layers of exodermis. It
has thick outer and lateral walls. In Zea mays a few layers of cortex below the epidermis undergo
suberization and give rise to the exodermis. 4) The sclerenchyma cells are commonly found in
the cortex of monocotyledons. 5) The xylem is exarch i.e. protoxylem lies towards periphery and
the metaxylem towards the centre. 6) The parenchymatous or sclerenchymatous conjuctive tissue
is found in between and around the xylem and phloem strands. In Canna, Oryza sativa, the pith
is sclerenchymatous. The best arrangement of material to withstand longitudinal stress is in
the form of a cord'. In roots, vascular bundle and strengthening materials are usually much more
centrally located than they are in the stem.
MONOCOT ROOT
Types of VB :The following points highlight the four main types of vascular bundle.
The types are: 1. Collateral Bundle 2. Bicollateral Bundle 3. Concentric VascularBundle 4.
Radial Vascular Bundle.
Type 1. Collateral Bundle: A vascular bundle in which a strand of phloem is present external to
the strand of xylem on the same radius side by side is known as collateral bundle.
Cambium may be present or absent in between xylem and phloem, and so there are the
following two types of collateral bundle:
(a) Closed collateral bundle: In this type cambium is absent in between xylem and phloem.
Therefore stems having this type of bundle do not have normal secondary growth. Ex.
Monocotyledonous stem. Usually these bundles are enclosed within bundle sheath made up of
sclerenchyma and those that lack the sheath are considered as anomalous (e.g. Zea mays stem).
(b) Open collateral bundle: An open collateral vascular bundle has cambium called intra-
fascicular cambium between xylem and phloem. The bundles can increase in diameter by
normal secondary growth with the help of fascicular cambium. Ex. Sunflower stem.
Type 2. Bicollateral Bundle: A vascular bundle with phloem situated on the peripheral and inner
side of xylem is known as bicollateral bundle. A strip of cambium termed outer cambium is
present between the peripheral phloem and xylem; another strip of cambium, termed inner
cambium, is also present between inner phloem and xylem. The peripheral or external phloem
is termed as outer phloem whereas the inner or internal phloem is called inner phloem. The
sequence of vascular tissues in the bicollateral bundles from periphery toward centre is
outer phloem, outer cambium, xylem, inner cambium and inner phloem. These bundles are
open type as strips of cambia are present but the secondary thickening occurs only by the outer
cambium, i.e. cambium present between the outer phloem and xylem. Ex. Cucurbita stem.
surrounds the other is known as concentric bundle. In this bundle xylem either
encircles or is encircled by phloem and accordingly the following two types are
recognized:
(a) Amphivasal bundle: A vascular bundle in which xylem encircles the central strand
of phloem is known as amphivasal bundle, also called leptocentric bundle
(CENTROPHOLIC VB) . Ex. Dracaena, Yucca. (b) Amphicribral bundle: A vascular
bundle in which phloem encircles the central strand of xylem is called as amphicribral
bundle, also known as hadrocentric bundle (CENTROXYLIC VB). Ex. Selaginella.
The concentric bundles, either amphivasal or amphicribral, are closed as there is no
cambium in between xylem and phloem.
Type 4. Radial Vascular Bundle : A vascular bundle, in which the primary xylem and
primary phloem strands are separated from each other by nonvascular tissues and they
are situated on alternate radii of an axis, is known as radial vascular bundle or radial
bundle. These bundles are the characteristic of roots. There is no primary cambium in
this bundle and the secondary thickening occurs by the secondary cambium that
originates at the time of secondary growth in dicotyledonous root only. The dicot roots
usually have four to six number of protoxylem poles in contrast to monocot root where
many poles of xylem (more than six) are present. The number of protoxylem poles in a
root may be 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or more. Accordingly they are called monarch, diarch, triarch,
tetrarch and so on. The term polyarch is used when the number of protoxylem poles are
more than six .
Amphicribal Amphivasal
 Cambium

Conjoint,
Collateral , Close Conjoint, Collateral ,
VB in Maize stem Open VB in Sunflower
stem
Conjoint, Bicollateral , Open
VB: CUCURBITA STEM

Outer Pholem
Outer Cambium

Xylem

Inner
cambium

Inner Phloem
 Concentric VB
Amphicribal : Centroxylic Selaginella
Centrophloic VB
Dracaena
Radial VB in Monocot root