Root & Stem

• Root cap: Protects the growing end of the root from abrasion by soil particles.
• vascular plants: have vascular tubes that carry essential fluids and nutrients around the plant
• non-vascular plants: lack vascular tubing so they rely on proximity to receive water and nutrients
• The two types of vascular tubes in plants are,

  • Phloem: transports food from the leaves (usually glucose)
  • Xylem: water and nutrients from the roots (think x as end of alphabet so lower down)
• The root cap: produces a substance that helps the plant penetrate soil while protecting it
• Root hair: increases the surface area of the epidermis, allowing for increased absorption of nutrients and water
• Epidermis: outermost layer of plant, protects against injury, water loss and infection
• Endodermis: A layer of cells that surrounds the vascular bundle in the xylem
• Cortex: tissues located between the epi- and endodermis, which mediate the transport of nutrients in xylem
• Casparian strip: a layer of modified cell walls in the endodermis that act as a semi-permeable plasma membrane allowing the plant to take in nutrients (particularly in roots)
• Meristem cells: where most mitotic division occurs (where the plants grow)
• Pericycle: A layer of cells surrounding the stem of a plant cell.
• Xylem are composed of mostly dead cells, Phloem are composed of living ones
• Roots absorb water through theIr membrane during the process of osmosis