4.2.3.1 Plant Tissues Flashcards
What is organisation like in plants?
- Cells are the basic units of life
- Groups of the same type of cells work together to form tissues
- Groups of tissues work together to form organs
- The root, stem and leaves form a plant organ system that transports substances in and around plants
- The whole plant is an organism
Function of Plant Organs: Flower
- Attracts pollinators
- Involved in reproduction
Function of Plant Organs: Stem
- Supports plant - contains thickened material called lignin
- Contains vessels for transport of nutrients in plants
Function of Plant Organs: Leaf
Contains pigment chlorophyll in chloroplasts to carry out photosynthesis to make food for the plant
Function of Plant Organs: Root
- Anchors plants in soil
- Absorbs and stores nutrients
Where is meristematic tissue found in plants?
Found at thetips of roots and shootsand around the vascular tissue in stems
What are meristems?
Groups ofundifferentiatedstem cells that divide to produceallthedifferent types of cells that make up a plant
How long are plants capable of producing new tissue?
- Throughout its life
- Unlike animal cells
What can plants that are resistant to disease do?
Can be quickly and economically cloned using their meristematic tissue
How can rare plants be protected from extinction?
- Can be cloned
- Use seed banks
Apical meristem:
- Causes primary growth i.e. lengthening of the plant
- Occurs at tips of roots and shoots
- Produces new leaves and flowers
Lateral meristems:
- Causes secondary growth i.e. widening of the plant
- Occurs at the cambium
- Produces bark on trees
Layers of a leaf/leaf tissue: Waxy cuticle
Waxy substance and reduces water loss from evaporation
Layers of a leaf/leaf tissue: Upper epidermis
- Thin and transparent to allow light to pass through
- Has no chloroplasts stopping it from blocking light
- Prevents water loss by evaporation
- Any damage to the outer layer may not damage photosynthesising cells
Layers of a leaf/leaf tissue: Palisade mesophyll
- Regular shaped cells packed with chloroplasts
- 80% of photosynthesis takes place here
- Max absorption of light for photosynthesis
Layers of a leaf/leaf tissue: Spongy mesophyll
- Irregular shaped cells to increase the surface area for gas exchange
- Air spaces, stomata
- Some chloroplasts
- 20% of photosynthesis takes place here
Layers of a leaf/leaf tissue: Lower epidermis
CO2 diffuses into these cells and is exchanged with O2 during the day
Guard cells:
- cells swell and open the stomata
- control gas exchange and water loss of the plant
Stomata:
open and close to allow gas exchange and water loss of the plant within the environment
What are all the layers of a leaf/plant tissue?
- Waxy cuticle
- Upper epidermis
- Palisade mesophyll
- Spongy mesophyll
- Lower epidermis
- Meristem tissue
Layers of a leaf/leaf tissue: Meristem tissue
- Found at the tips of the roots and shoots
- Stem cells found here (unspecialised cells) go through mitosis to increase length of plant
Diagram to show the layers of a plant: