Plant tissues

Plant tissues include: 

• Epidermal tissue: covers the surface of the plant, including the roots and leaves so the cells are thin to allow water and ions to pass into the roots, and sunlight to pass into the leaves

• Palisade mesophyll: the site where most photosynthesis happens in leaves so the cells have a large surface area and are packed with chloroplasts

• Spongy mesophyll: allow gases to pass through the leaf so cells have large air spaces between them

• Xylem: transports water and ions from the roots to all other organs in the plant; composed of hollow, dead tubes strengthened by lignin

• Phloem: transports sugars from the leaves to all other organs in the plant; composed of tubes of living elongated cells

• Meristem tissue: found at the growing tips of shoots and roots and allows the plant to grow since the cells can differentiate into different cell types