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Vascular Systems of Plants

 

 

Xylem and Phloem

The xylem and phloem are tubular structures that makes up the transportation system of vascular plants.

 

Phloem

Xylem
Diagram of :
Function

Transportation of food and nutrients such as sugar and amino acids from leaves to storage organs and growing parts of plant. This movement of substances is called translocation.

Forms vascular bundles with xylem

Water and mineral transport from roots to aerial parts of the plant.

Forms vascular bundles with phloem and gives mechanical strength to plant due to presence of lignin cells. The lignified secondary wall also makes the xylem waterproof and prevent it from collapsing under the pressure of water transpiration

Movement Bidirectional (Moves up or down the plant's stem from "source to sink") Unidirectional (Moves up the plant's stem)
Occurrence Roots, stems and leaves. transports sucrose to growth (roots and shoots) and storage regions of the plant (seeds fruit and swollen roots) Roots, stems and leaves
Structure Elongated, tubular shape with thin walled sieve tubes. The sieve tubes have pores at each end in the cross walls and microtubules that extend between sieve elements allowing longitudinal flow of material. Tubular shape with no cross walls which allows a continuous column of water + facilitates more rapid transport within the xylem vessels. There are two types - protoxylem (first formed xylem) + metaxylem (mature xylem) depending on pattern of lignin.
Elements Sieve tubes, companion cells, phloem parenchyma (loosely packed resulting in intercellular spaces which allows gas exchange), bast fibers, intermediary cells, Tracheids, vessel elements, xylem parenchyma (loosely packed resulting in intercellular spaces which allows gas exchange), xylem sclerenchyma
Nature of tissue Living tissue with little cytoplasm but no nucleus/tonoplast. Dead tissue at maturity so it is hollow with no cell contents
Shape Phloem is not star shaped. Xylem is star shaped.
Location in vascular bundle Phloem occur on outer side of the vascular bundle. xylem occupy the center of the vascular bundle.

References:

http://www.diffen.com/difference/Phloem_vs_Xylem