Vascular tissue
/ˈvæskjələr ˈtɪʃu/
Definition
Vascular tissue is the plant transport system, made of xylem and phloem. Xylem carries water and dissolved minerals upward from the roots, while phloem moves sugars and other products of photosynthesis through the plant. Found in stems, roots, and leaf veins, vascular tissue also helps support the plant. It distinguishes vascular plants, such as ferns, conifers, and flowering plants, from nonvascular plants like mosses.
Function in Plants
- Long-distance transport: vascular tissue lets water, minerals, and sugars move between roots, stems, and leaves, linking plant parts that are far apart and supporting larger body size.
- Support and height: Lignified cells in some vascular tissue have thick, rigid walls with lignin, a strengthening compound, which helps many plants stay upright and grow taller.
- Growth pattern in stems and roots: Its arrangement helps determine vein patterns in leaves and the internal structure of stems and roots, so it is useful in plant identification and basic botany.
- Limits of damage: When vascular tissue is crushed, cut, or blocked by disease, transport declines, which can lead to wilting, dieback, poor growth, or reduced flowering and fruiting.