Botany Lec - Group Work 1

Ground Tissues
Ground tissues are produced by the ground meristems. This tissue type comprises the majority of the
plant body. The ground tissue of plants includes all tissues that are neither dermal nor vascular. The
ground tissue of a stem is divided into two regions, the cortex and the pith. The cortex is located to the
outside and/or around the vascular bundles, while the pith is locate in the center of the stem. Both the
cortex and pith are composed mainly of parenchyma cells. Support is given to the stem by collenchyma
cells which may occur just under the epidermis in the cortex. This collenchyma cell layer may eventually
develop into sclerenchyma. Monocots usually do not have a defined cortex and pith like that found in the
Dicots. Monocots have their vascular bundles randomly scattered throughout the stem, while Dicots have
their vascular bundles arranged in a ring. Ground tissue system includes three cell types of different
functions: parenchyma, collenchyma and sclerenchyma.
Parenchyma
Parenchyma cells are slightly differentiated cells, still

being capable of dividing. Among certain
circumstances they can dedifferentiate into dividing
tissues. Parenchyma cells have thin primary walls
and usually remain alive after they become mature.
Parenchyma forms the "filler" tissue in the soft parts
of plants, and is usually present in cortex, pericycle,
pith, and medullary rays in primary stem and root.
Parenchyma is the most common and versatile

ground tissue: it forms the cortex and pith of stems,
the cortex of roots, the mesophyll of leaves, the
pulp of fruits, and the endosperm of seeds.
Parenchyma cells are living cells, and may still be
able to divide when they are mature. Because of this, parenchyma cells are important for regeneration
and wound healing. They have thin but flexible cell walls because the secondary cell wall is usually
absent. Photosynthesis usually occurs in parenchyma cells (the mesophyll), and they function in the
storage of carbohydrates. They are generally polygonal when packed close together, but are nearly
spherical when separated from their neighbors. They have large central vacuoles, which allow the cells to
store and regulate ions, waste products and water.
Collenchyma
Together with sclerenchyma, collenchyma belongs to supporting ground tissues. It is mostly found in
leaves and stems. In leaves, it forms strands usually found above and below the midrib and within the
petiole. Collenchyma cells have thin primary walls with some areas of secondary thickening. Collenchyma
provides extra mechanical and structural support, particularly in regions of new growth, examples include
ingrowing shoots and leaves.
Collenchyma cells are elongated and have unevenly thickened walls. Like parenchyma cells, they are still
alive when mature.
Sclerenchyma
Sclerenchyma is another type of mechanical ground tissues. It is present in all parts of the plant. It is a
long, elongated cell with admirably and evenly thickened cell wall. Sclerenchyma cells have thick lignified
secondary walls and often die when mature. Sclerenchyma provides the main structural support to a
plant.
Mature sclerenchyma is composed of dead cells with extremely thick secondary walls cell walls
composed of cellulose and lignin: these walls
make up to 90% of the whole cell volume.
Sclerenchyma tissue is a supporting tissue.
There are two types of sclerenchyma cells,
fibres and sclereids. Fibres are generally long,
slender cells, which commonly occur in strands
or bundles, and can be seen in the diagram
below as dense red caps to the outside of the
vascular tissue. Fibres are of great economical
importance, since they make up the source
material for many fabrics such as flax, hemp and
jute. Sclereids are variable in shape and usually
shorter than fibre cells. They make up the seed
coats of seeds, the shells of nuts and the stone
of stone fruits.
http://elte.prompt.hu/sites/default/files/tananyagok/StructureOfPlantsAndFungi/ch04s03.html
https://sci.waikato.ac.nz/farm/content/plantstructure.html
http://aven.amritalearning.com/index.php?sub=102&brch=301&sim=1525&cnt=3564

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Ground Tissues

Parenchyma cells are slightly differentiated cells, still

Parenchyma is the most common and versatile

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