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Anatomy of flowering plants takes us deep into the arrangement of cells and tissues within the plant bodies of flowering plants. Anatomy is a branch of biology that deals with the study of the internal structures of living organisms. The internal structure includes the structure of tissues and their relative arrangement within roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, and seeds
Key Terms: Cell, Tissues, Parenchyma, Collenchyma, Sclerenchyma, Plant
Cells and Tissues
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Cell: The cell is the basic structural and functional unit of living organisms. In multicellular organisms several cells group together to impart a certain shape, structure, and function to an organism.
Tissue: Tissue is a group of cells with a common origin, structure, and functions.
Plant Tissues
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Types of Tissues
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In the anatomy of flowering plants, we study two primary kinds of tissues such as meristematic tissues and permanent tissues.
Meristematic tissue
A simple tissue that is capable of a continuous division of cells is called meristematic tissue. Meristematic tissue at the root tip and stem tip is called apical meristems and is meant for growth in length. Meristems that lie between permanent tissues are called intercalary meristems (grass plants) and are meant for internodal elongation. Meristematic tissues that lie all along the lateral sides of roots and stems are called lateral meristems and are meant for growth in the girth or thickness of plants.
Meristematic Tissue
Permanent tissue
The tissues without cell divisions are categorised as permanent tissues. Permanent tissues can be simple and complex. Simple permanent tissues have similar cells. Complex permanent tissues have different kinds of cells.
Permanent Tissues
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Types of Simple Tissues
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Simple tissues are of different types like Parenchyma, Collenchyma, and Sclerenchyma.
Parenchyma
Parenchyma is a simple permanent living tissue that contains isodiametric cells with thin cell walls, a large central vacuole, peripheral cytoplasm, and a nucleus. It forms the ground tissue in almost all parts of the plant body. It is meant for photosynthesis and storage of water and food materials.
Parenchyma
Collenchyma
Collenchyma is a simple permanent living tissue that contains oval, spherical, or polygonal cells with cell walls thickened in corners due to pectin, a large central vacuole, peripheral cytoplasm, and a nucleus. Thickening in corners is due to the deposition of cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin. It is a living mechanical tissue that provides elasticity to the tender parts of a plant like growing stem, petiole, pedicels, and fruit stacks.
Collenchyma
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Sclerenchyma
It is dead mechanical tissue. Cells lack cytoplasm and nucleus. The cell walls are thickened by cellulose and lignin. Sclerenchyma cells can be fibres and sclereids. It provides mechanical strength to mature plant parts.
Sclerenchyma
Complex Tissues
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Xylem and phloem are two chief types of complex issues. The differences between them are tabulated as follows:
| Xylem | Phloem |
|---|---|
| It is water-conducting tissue. | It is a food conducting tissue. |
| It is situated in deeper layers of the plant. | It is situated towards the outer side of the plant. |
| It provides mechanical support to plants. | It does not provide mechanical support to plants. |
| It is made up of tracheids, trachea, xylem fibres, and xylem parenchyma. | It is made up of sieve cells, sieve tubes, companion cells, phloem parenchyma, and phloem fibres. |
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Tissue Systems
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Flowering plants consist of epidermal, ground, and vascular tissue systems. The outermost layer of plants consists of an epidermal tissue system. The tissue system between epidermal and vascular tissue systems is nothing but a ground tissue system. It is made of parenchyma. The innermost vascular tissue system consists of the pericycle, pith, xylem, and phloem.
Tissue Systems in Flowering Plants
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Things to Remember
- Tissue is a group of cells with a common origin, structure, and functions.
- A simple tissue that is capable of a continuous division of cells is called meristematic tissue.
- Meristems in stem tips and root tips are called apical meristems.
- Meristems that lie between permanent tissues are called intercalary meristems. Meristematic tissues that lie all along the lateral sides of roots and stems are called lateral meristems.
- The tissues without cell divisions are categorised as permanent tissues.
- Parenchyma is a simple permanent living ground tissue.
- Collenchyma is a living mechanical tissue with pectin thickenings.
- Sclerenchyma is dead mechanical tissue.
- Xylem is water-conducting tissue, whereas phloem is a food conducting tissue.
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Sample Questions
Ques: What are the tissues that provide mechanical strength to plants? (2 marks)
Ans: Collenchyma provides mechanical strength to tender parts like pedicels, peduncles, and petioles. Sclerenchyma and xylem provide mechanical strength to mature parts of the plant body.
Ques: What are the three different tissue systems in plants? (3 marks)
Ans: Flowering plants consist of epidermal, ground, and vascular tissue systems. The outermost layer of plants consists of an epidermal tissue system. The tissue system between epidermal and vascular tissue systems is nothing but a ground tissue system. It is made of parenchyma. The innermost vascular tissue system consists of the pericycle, pith, xylem, and phloem.
Ques: What is phytotomy? How is it useful to a botany student? (2 marks)
Ans: The study of the internal structure of plants is called phytotomy. It is useful to study the internal arrangement of tissues in roots, stems, and leaves under a microscope.
Ques: What are the plant tissues that affect growth and development? (3 marks)
Ans: A simple tissue that is capable of a continuous division of cells is called meristematic tissue. These issues affect the growth and development of plants.
- Meristematic tissue at the root tip and stem tip are called apical meristems. They are meant for growth in length.
- Meristems that lie between permanent tissues are called intercalary meristems (grass plants). They are meant for internodal elongation.
- Meristematic tissues that lie all along the lateral sides of roots and stems are called lateral meristems. They are meant for growth in the girth or thickness of plants.
Ques: What is a living mechanical tissue? How does it impart flexibility to different parts of a flowering plant? (3 marks)
Ans:
- The living mechanical tissue is collenchyma.
- Collenchyma is a simple permanent living tissue that contains oval, spherical, or polygonal cells with cell walls thickened in corners due to pectin, a large central vacuole, peripheral cytoplasm, and a nucleus.
- Thickening in corners is due to the deposition of cellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin.
- It is a living mechanical tissue that provides elasticity to the tender parts of a plant like growing stem, petiole, pedicels, and fruit stacks.
Ques: Which plant tissue remains in an active phase always? (2 marks)
Ans: Meristematic tissue remains in an active phase always. The cells of this tissue have thin cellulosic walls, no intercellular spaces, peripheral cytoplasm, and a large nucleus.
Ques: Which are flowering plants called? (2 marks)
Ans: In botany, Flowering plants are also called Angiosperms whereas non flowering plants are called Gymnosperms. Angiosperms produce the seeds inside the fruit.
Ques: What is ground tissue? Where does it present? (2 marks)
Ans: The ground tissue is parenchyma. Parenchyma is a simple permanent living tissue. It forms the ground tissue in almost all parts of the plant body. It is meant for photosynthesis and storage of water and food materials.
Ques: What is the anatomy of flowering plants? (2 marks)
Ans: Flowering plants consist of epidermal, ground, and vascular tissue systems. The outermost layer of plants consists of an epidermal tissue system. The tissue system between epidermal and vascular tissue systems is nothing but a ground tissue system. It is made of parenchyma. The innermost vascular tissue system consists of the pericycle, pith, xylem, and phloem.
Ques: What is Plant Anatomy? (2 marks)
Ans: Plant Anatomy is a branch of biology that deals with the study of the internal structures of living organisms. The study of plant anatomy is called phototomy. It is useful in analysing the functions of each of the structures that make up the plant.
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