Just like any living being, the plants are formed by cells. The set of similar cells that perform the same function is called tissue and, in plants, it is called plant tissue.
As in animals, plants have tissues that coat, support and carry nutrients throughout the body. See below the main plant tissues and the function of each one of them:
→ Vegetable epidermis: This tissue covers the entire body of the plant, being, therefore, the most external, in addition to being related to the most varied functions. In it we find, for example, structures called stomata that are related to gas exchange. It is also in the epidermis that we find trichomes, which function in defense against herbivores and in protection against exaggerated water loss by perspiration.
→ Parenchyma: This tissue is part of the so-called fundamental system and is found in all parts of the plant. Its functions are also varied, such as filling in some spaces, performing photosynthesis and storage of substances in some plants.
→ Collenchyma:
It is also a tissue of the fundamental system and is very similar to the parenchyma, differing mainly by the thickness of its cell walls. The collenchyma has as its main function to support the plants that are in the beginning of development.
Observe some tissues that form the stem of a plant
→ sclerenchyma:It is a tissue belonging to the fundamental system and its main function is to support the body of the adult plant. It is much more resistant than collenchyma and its cells are usually dead at maturity, since have cell walls rich in lignin, a substance that guarantees resistance and prevents the exchange of substances.
→ Xylem:It is a tissue called complex, as it has different cell types. It is related to the transport of substances, mainly water and mineral salts, the so-called raw sap.
→ Phloem:Like xylem, it is a complex tissue and acts in the transport of substances. This tissue is responsible for transporting organic substances, popularly known as elaborate sap.
Curiosity: The part of biology that studies plant tissues and their distribution in organs is called Plant Anatomy.
By Ma. Vanessa dos Santos
