Chapter 2: Plant Tissues - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key plant tissue types, their locations, and functions from the notes.

Meristematic tissue

Undifferentiated plant tissue consisting of actively dividing cells that enable growth; occurs where growth takes place and gives rise to elongation, bud growth, and thickness; includes apical, lateral, and intercalary types.

Apical meristematic tissue

Meristem located at the tips of roots and stems responsible for primary (length) growth.

Lateral meristematic tissue

Meristem along the sides of the plant that produces secondary growth and thickening; includes vascular cambium and cork cambium.

Intercalary meristematic tissue

Meristem located between nodes, enabling elongation at nodes; in grasses, enables rapid regrowth of mature leaves.

Ground tissue

Tissue in which cells differentiate to form permanent tissues; forms internal masses such as cortex, pith, and pith rays; includes parenchyma, collenchyma, and sclerenchyma.

Parenchyma

Living cells with thin walls, often polygonal; intercellular spaces; may contain plastids (chloroplasts); functions in ventilation, storage, and nutrient delivery; chlorenchyma refers to chloroplast-containing parenchyma.

Chlorenchyma

Parenchyma tissue containing chloroplasts and performing photosynthesis.

Collenchyma

Living elongated cells with irregularly thickened walls; primary supportive tissue in many stems and leaves, providing flexible support and strength; common in non-woody parts.

Sclerenchyma

Dead cells with thick lignified walls that provide rigid structural support; two types: fibres and sclereids.

Fibres

Long, cylindrical sclerenchyma cells that occur singly or in bundles; provide structural support.

Sclereids

Relatively short sclerenchyma cells found in certain fruits (e.g., pears, quinces) contributing to hardness.

Epidermis

Outer dermal tissue; a single layer of tightly connected cells with no intercellular spaces; protects the plant and regulates gas exchange via guard cells and water absorption.

Vascular tissue

Specialized tissue for transporting water and nutrients and providing structural support; consists of xylem and phloem.

Xylem

Vascular tissue that conducts water and dissolved minerals; composed of vessels, tracheids, xylem fibers, and parenchyma; typically becomes dead at maturity.

Xylem vessels

Tube-like conduits for conducting water; derive from meristematic cells and mature by losing living components.

Tracheids

Elongated, tapered xylem cells that conduct water and provide support.

Xylem fibers

Sclerenchyma fibers within the xylem providing structural support.

Xylem parenchyma

Living storage cells within the xylem.

Phloem

Vascular tissue that transports organic nutrients from leaves to other parts of the plant; includes sieve tubes, companion cells, phloem fibers, and phloem parenchyma.

Sieve tube elements

Main conducting cells of phloem forming sieve tubes; typically lack nuclei and connect via sieve plates.

Companion cells

Cells closely associated with sieve tube elements that assist in loading and unloading nutrients for transport.

Phloem fibers

Sclerenchyma fibers in phloem providing structural support.

Phloem parenchyma

Phloem cells involved in storage and transport within the phloem.

Cortex

Ground tissue between the epidermis and vascular tissue; forms internal masses including cortex, pith, and pith rays.

Periderm

Protective outer tissue formed by cork cambium, replacing the epidermis in mature regions; includes cork.

Cork cambium

Lateral meristem (phellogen) that produces cork as part of the periderm.

Cork

Protective outer layer produced by the cork cambium; part of the periderm and helps reduce water loss.