Anatomy of Flowering Plants – Important Points, Summary,
Revision, Highlights
Anatomy of Flowering Plants
Cells with the same structure and functionality constitute a tissue
Plants tissues are of two types:
1. Meristematic tissue: cells divide actively
a. Apical meristem– occurs at the tip and produces primary tissues, e.g. dermal,
vascular and ground tissues
b. Intercalary meristem– occurs in grasses between matured tissues
c. Lateral meristem– produces secondary tissues, e.g. cambium
2. Permanent tissue: cells, which don’t divide further after attaining their specialised structure
and function
d. Simple tissue: only one type of cells having the same structure and function
e. Complex tissue: more than one type of cells that work in coordination
Permanent Tissue Name Structure Function
Simple Tissue Parenchyma -cells are mostly -photosynthesis,
isodiametric secretion, storage
-thin cell wall made
up of cellulose
Collenchyma -closely packed cells -mechanical support
with no intercellular -chloroplast
spaces containing cells
-deposition of assimilate food
cellulose,
hemicellulose and
pectin in the cell wall
Sclerenchyma -elongated cells with -provide mechanical
thick lignified cell wall support
-dead cells with no -present in the seed
protoplasm coat, pulp and walls
-present as fibres or of fruits
sclereids
Complex tissue Xylem -made up of -conducts water from
tracheids, vessels, roots to stem and
leaves
, xylem fibres and
xylem parenchyma
-vessels and
tracheids are the
main transporting
material
-two types of primary
xylem, protoxylem
and metaxylem
-in stem endarch
organisation with
protoxylem at the
centre
-in roots exarch
organisation
Phloem -in angiosperms, -transports food
phloem is made up
of companion cells,
sieve-tube elements,
phloem parenchyma
and phloem fibres
-in gymnosperm
instead of sieve tube
and companion cells,
albuminous and
sieve cells are
present
-phloem parenchyma
is absent in
monocotyledons
Epidermal Tissue System
• It comprises the outer covering of the plants, such as epidermis, cuticle, stomata, epidermal
extensions; trichomes in stem and root hairs
• Stomata regulate gaseous exchange and water loss by transpiration
• Guard cells are bean-shaped in dicots and contain chloroplasts
• Grasses have a dumb-bell shaped guard cells
• Root hairs are unicellular
• Trichomes are multicellular
2
Revision, Highlights
Anatomy of Flowering Plants
Cells with the same structure and functionality constitute a tissue
Plants tissues are of two types:
1. Meristematic tissue: cells divide actively
a. Apical meristem– occurs at the tip and produces primary tissues, e.g. dermal,
vascular and ground tissues
b. Intercalary meristem– occurs in grasses between matured tissues
c. Lateral meristem– produces secondary tissues, e.g. cambium
2. Permanent tissue: cells, which don’t divide further after attaining their specialised structure
and function
d. Simple tissue: only one type of cells having the same structure and function
e. Complex tissue: more than one type of cells that work in coordination
Permanent Tissue Name Structure Function
Simple Tissue Parenchyma -cells are mostly -photosynthesis,
isodiametric secretion, storage
-thin cell wall made
up of cellulose
Collenchyma -closely packed cells -mechanical support
with no intercellular -chloroplast
spaces containing cells
-deposition of assimilate food
cellulose,
hemicellulose and
pectin in the cell wall
Sclerenchyma -elongated cells with -provide mechanical
thick lignified cell wall support
-dead cells with no -present in the seed
protoplasm coat, pulp and walls
-present as fibres or of fruits
sclereids
Complex tissue Xylem -made up of -conducts water from
tracheids, vessels, roots to stem and
leaves
, xylem fibres and
xylem parenchyma
-vessels and
tracheids are the
main transporting
material
-two types of primary
xylem, protoxylem
and metaxylem
-in stem endarch
organisation with
protoxylem at the
centre
-in roots exarch
organisation
Phloem -in angiosperms, -transports food
phloem is made up
of companion cells,
sieve-tube elements,
phloem parenchyma
and phloem fibres
-in gymnosperm
instead of sieve tube
and companion cells,
albuminous and
sieve cells are
present
-phloem parenchyma
is absent in
monocotyledons
Epidermal Tissue System
• It comprises the outer covering of the plants, such as epidermis, cuticle, stomata, epidermal
extensions; trichomes in stem and root hairs
• Stomata regulate gaseous exchange and water loss by transpiration
• Guard cells are bean-shaped in dicots and contain chloroplasts
• Grasses have a dumb-bell shaped guard cells
• Root hairs are unicellular
• Trichomes are multicellular
2
