Plant tissues play a major role in growth of plants.
To succeed and grow simultaneously in two entirely different environments–air and soil–requires a myriad of adaptations, starting with cellular modifications into specialized kinds of tissues (groups of similar cells that are organized in a structural and functional unit) followed by development of organs (structures composed of several kinds of tissues grouped in a structural and functional unit).
The organs of a plant are comprised of three basic tissue systems, including the dermal, vascular, and ground tissue systems . These three motifs are continuous throughout an entire plant, but their properties vary significantly based upon the organ type in which they are located. Now we look at the structure and arrangement of plant tissues and cells in mature plant organs.
Plant tissues
The organs of a plant are comprised of three basic tissue systems, including the dermal, vascular, and ground tissue systems.
Cells of a plant or an animal acquire a variety of shapes and structure for specific functions they perform. They do so in groups called tissues. Tissue is a group of cells with a common function, structure or both. All cells of a tissue have common origin. Tissues can be simple, consisting of a single cell type, or complex, consisting of more than one cell type.
Plant tissues are basically of two types–
- Meristematic tissue and
- Permanent tissue.
Meristematic tissue or Meristem: Plants are capable of indeterminate growth because they have perpetually embryonic tissues called meristems. Cells of meristems divide continuously and help in increasing the length and girth of the plant. This tissue is found at all growing points of a plant, such as the tips of roots, stems and branches. It is also present between the bark and the wood of trees where it leads to the growth in the diameter of the stem.
Permanent Tissues: There are other tissues in plants that do not actively produce new cells. These tissues are called permanent or nonmeristematic tissues. Permanent tissues are made of cells that are produced by the meristems and are formed to various shapes and sizes depending on their intended function in the plant. Sometimes the tissues are composed of the same type of cells throughout, or sometimes they are mixed. They may be living or dead.