By Team Aakash Byju's
Plant anatomy is mainly related to the structure and study of a plant's tissue organization.
A group of similar or distinct cells with a common origin and performing a certain function is referred to as a ‘Tissue’.
‘Meristematic tissues’ also known as meristems and ‘Permanent tissue’ are the two forms of tissue found in plants.
The root system and the shoot system are the two organ systems that comprise a plant.
Water and minerals are drawn up by the roots from the earth and carried by the stem to the various plant organs.
The leaves perform photosynthesis and flowers are a plant's reproductive organs.
Secondary growth is controlled by the Lateral meristems and is similar in both stems and roots which involves two types of lateral tissues:
– Vascular Cambium – Cork Cambium
The Vascular Cambium is found within the vascular bundle, between the primary xylem and phloem.
The vascular cambium's cells divide to generate secondary xylem on the inside and secondary phloem on the outside.
The secondary xylem cells contain lignin, the major component of wood that provides hardiness and strength.
The Cork Cambium is the outermost lateral meristem. It generates cork cells, which contain a waxy material that repels water.
Phloem and cork cells combine to create the bark, which shields the plant from physical damage and aids in minimizing water loss.
The cork cambium, cork cells and phelloderm are together named as Periderm which substitutes for the epidermis in mature plants.