Plant anatomy: The study of internal structure is called plant anatomy.

Tissue: A group of cells having a common origin and co-operating with one another to
perform a similar function is called as tissue.
Tissue is formed for the proper division of work.

Plant tissue
Tissue is a group of cells having a common origin, structure and co-operating with one
another to perform one or more particular function.
Depending upon the dividing capacity, the tissues are classified in to 2 types.
1. Meristematic tissue.
2. Permanent tissue.
• The cell wall is thin and is made up of cellulose.

• Vacuoles are either absent or very small.

• These cells do not store reserve food materials.

• Their metabolic rate is very high due to high rate of respiration.

• They contain colorless proplastids instead of chloroplast.

1. Meristematic tissue

a. Meristematic tissue is a group of similar immature cells which have capacity to divide
and form new cells.

b. Meristematic cells are usually isodiametric, spherical, oval or polygonal in shape.

c. Meristematic cells are small, thin walled and living.

d. The thin cell wall is cellulosic and elastic.

e. Meristematic cell contains dense cytoplasm, proplastids with a large, distinct and
prominent nucleus.

f. In fact, meristematic cells are parent cells from which all new cells are added to the plant
body.
• Classification of meristematic tissue
Classification of meristem
1. Based on origin and development – 3 types.
a. Promeristem = primordial = Embryonic meristem.
Promeristem is a group of earliest and youngest cells present at the tip of stem
and root i.e. growing region.
It originates from embryo so they are also called as embryonic meristem.
It divides and form primary meristem.

b. Primary meristem
It is derived from promeristem.
Meristem occurs at the tip of root, stem and appendages.
It divides, mature and form primary permanent tissue. but Vascular cambium
divide and form secondary permanent tissue.
c. Secondary meristem
Some primary permanent tissue becomes meristematic and resulting meristem are called
secondary meristem.

They develop to heal up the wounded portion or to effect secondary growth.

These are always lateral in position.

Eg: vascular cambium of the root derived from conjunctive parenchyma, interfascicular
cambium of stem derived from medullary rays, cork cambium derived from an outer layer of
cortex.
2. Based on function= 3 types
a. Protoderm:-Protoderm is the outermost layer of meristem. Protoderm forms
the outer epidermal layer.

b. Pro-cambium:- Pro-cambium is located inside the protoderm. It consists of

narrow and elongated Meristematic cell which is differentiated in to the primary
vascular tissue i.e. xylem and phloem.

c. Ground meristem:- Ground meristem consists of large, thin walled cell which
is differentiated in to the ground tissue system that is hypodermis, cortex,
endodermis, pericycle and pith in dicot plant and hypodermis and ground tissue in
monocot plant.
3. Based on position =3 types.
Apical meristem: the meristem located at the apices or the growing points of main
and lateral shoots and roots are called apical meristem. Apical meristem increases
the length of the plant body. Eg: pro- meristem and primary meristem.

b. Intercalary meristem: the meristem present between the regions of permanent

tissue is called intercalary meristem. Eg: base of leaves of pinus, base of internodes
of grasses.

c. Lateral meristem: lateral meristem lies along the lateral side of root and stem. It
is responsible for the increase in thickness of the plant part. Eg: vascular cambium
and cork cambium. Vascular cambium and cork cambium divide to form secondary
permanent tissue during secondary growth in dicot plant.
Meristem based on position
Functions of meristematic tissue:
• Meristem increases the length of plant parts.

• Lateral meristem, vascular cambium and cork cambium increases the

diameter of the plant parts.

• They are responsible for secondary growth forming secondary xylem

and secondary phloem.

• Meristem are used in tissue culture for the production of new tissue.

• They are responsible for the healing of the wounds by producing new
cells.
Shoot apex: Shoot apex is the tip that grows on the stem.
It is an undifferentiated region with meristematic tissue. The growth of the
plants begins from this region and it proceeds to the development of leaves,
branches, flower and fruits. (Morphogenesis)
There are two theories which explain the organization of the shoot apical.
A. Tunica-Corpus theory:
• Tunica is the outer zone. The cells of this layer are smaller. The cells shows the
anticlinal cell division. They give rise to epidermis.
B. Corpus
• It is the inner zone.
• Its cells are comparatively larger.
• They shows periclinal and irregular type of cell division.
• They give rise to cortex, pericycle, vascular tissue, medullary rays and pith.
• Root apex:
• Root apex is the tip of main root and tip of sub roots.
• It is covered with a protective root cap.
Permanent tissue

Permanent tissue are the group of mature cell which have lost their
dividing capacity but attained a definite shape, size and function.

Types of permanent tissue = 3 types

1. Simple permanent tissue.

2. Complex permanent tissue.
3. Special permanent tissue.
Simple permanent tissue = simple permanent tissue are the group of mature only one type of cell and are
homogenous in nature.
Types = 3- types.

a. Parenchyma.
b. Collenchyma.
c. Sclerenchyma.

a. parenchyma
1.parenchyma is a simple permanent tissue composed of loosely arranged, more or less iso-
diametric, thin walled, living cell containing inter cellular space for gaseous exchange.

2. Parenchyma cell may be spherical, oval , rectangular, elongated or irregular in shape.

3. parenchyma cells are found in pith, mesophyll of leaves, endosperm of seed, cortex of stem
and root, xylem ,phloem etc.
Types of parenchyma
1. Chlorenchyma = parenchyma tissue containing chloroplast. It helps in photosynthesis.

2. Aerenchyma = parenchyma tissue containing large air space. It provides buoyancy to float easily. Eg.
Hydrilla.

3. Prosenchyma = fibre like elongated thick walled pointed end parenchyma. It provides rigidity and
strength.

4. Idioblast = parenchyma tissue produce and store tannins, oils etc.

5. Stellate parenchyma = star shaped outgrowth parenchyma.

6. Mesophyll = chlorenchyma of leaf. 2 types i.e. palisade (columnar) and spongy (different shape).

7. Xylem parenchyma = parenchyma present in xylem.

8. Phloem parenchyma = parenchyma present in phloem.

Function of parenchyma
1. Storage of reserve food material.

2. Storage of water in succulent plant.

3. Buoyancy and gaseous exchange in water plant.

4. Chlorenchyma performs photosynthesis.

5. Provide rigidity and maintain the shape of plant body.

6. They give rise to secondary meristem i.e. cork cambium and vascular cambium.

7. Transport nutrients and chemicals.

8. Spiny projection of parenchyma helps in the protection from predators.

a. Collenchyma:
a. Collenchyma is a simple permanent tissue made up of isodiametric or
somewhat elongated cells with thick primary non lignified walls due to
additional cellulose.

b. The cell wall shows localized thickening, non-lignified and composed of

cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectin.

c. Collenchyma tissue is extensible and has capacity to expand.

d. It is found in the hypodermis of dicot leaves and stem.

 •

Types - based on cell wall thickening and arrangement of cells, collenchyma are of
4 types:

1. Angular: the cell wall possesses thickening at the corner or angles of the cell. Eg:
stem of Dhatura, solanum, Nicotina tobaccum.

2. Lacunar: the cell wall thickening is present on the wall bordering the intercellular
space. Eg: Stem of cucurbita, fruits wall.

3. Lamellar: the cell wall thickening is present at the tangential wall due to which cell
appears like plates or lamellae. Eg. Petiole of leaves.
Functions of collenchyma

1. Collenchyma provides mechanical strength and elasticity to the organs.

2. It is capable of elongation therefore it allows growth of stem.

3. It prevents from tearing of leaves.

4. Collenchyma with chloroplast perform photosynthesis.

5. Sometime it acts as storage tissue.

2. Sclerenchyma

a. Sclerenchyma are simple permanent tissue which consists of hard , thick ,

lignified walled dead cells with pits and little or no protoplasm.

b. Lignin present in cell wall makes the cell wall impermeable to water and gases
so sclerenchyma becomes dead at maturity.
Types of sclerenchyma = 2 types

a. Fibres = The much elongated, narrow, thick walled usually with pointed end dead
sclerenchymatous cells are called fibres.

Fibre mostly occurs in hypodermis, pericycle, secondary xylem and secondary

phloem.

Fibres lack intercellular space.

In Tamarix aphylla the fibres are living and may have storage function.
Types of fibres = 2 types
1. Phloem or bast fibres = the fibres present in the pericycle and phloem which
contains simple pits are called phloem fibres.

2. Wood or xylem fibres = the fibres present in xylem which contains bordered pits
are called wood fibres.

2. Sclereids = -The sclerenchymatous cells which are short and possesses extremely
thick lamellated, lignified walls with long and tubular pits are called sclereids.

- Sclereids may be spherical, oval, cylindrical, t-shaped or dumbbell shaped.

- Sclereids are common in fruits, seeds and bark of plant.

Sclereids are of five types
a. Brachysclereids or stone cell = They are the short and isodiametric in
structure. They give hardness to the guava. eg. Apple, pear etc.

b. Macrosclereids or rod cells= They are elongated rod like structure. eg.
Hypodermal layer of leguminous seed coat.

c. Osteosclereids or porp cells = They are rod like with dilated ends. eg.
Hypodermal layer of seeds and fruits.

d. Astrosclereids or star shaped = They are star like in structure. They are found
in tea leaves and petioles of lotus. eg. Outer covering of coconut, walnut etc.

e. Trichosclereids = Intercellular space of the leaves and stems of hydrophytes.

Function of sclerenchyma-

1. Sclereids provide mechanical strength and hardness to the soft part.

2. It also develops resistance against gravitational tension and strains.

3. The fibres provide raw materials for textile and used in manufacturing bags,
cloths, ropes etc.

4. It also acts as storage tissue.

Complex permanent tissue
• Complex permanent tissue is defined as a collection of structurally dissimilar cells
performing a common function or set of functions.

• They are made up of more than one type of cells.

• They are of two types i.e. xylem and phloem.

• They constitute the major part of vascular bundle. The vascular bundle forms the
continuous and inters connected system through the different organs of the plant.

• The xylem and phloem forms the vascular or conducting tissue in the plants.
xylem
•The xylem consists of different types of cells including both the living and non
living cells.

•The higher plants have four elements in xylem.

i. Tracheids, ii. Vessels, iii. Xylem fibres, iv. Xylem parenchyma.

•The xylem is responsible for the conduction of mineral salt and water to all
parts of the plant.

•It also gives mechanical support to the plant body.

II. Phloem
• The phloem is another type of vascular tissue present in the vascular bundle.
• It consists of

i. Sieve elements (tube)

ii. Companion cell
iii. Phloem parenchyma
iv. Phloem fibre.

• The phloem helps in the transport of organic food material or photosynthate to all
parts of the plant.