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The most distinctive xylem cells are the long tracheary elements that transport water. Tracheids and vessel elements are distinguished by their shape; vessel elements are shorter, and are connected together into long tubes that are called vessels. [6] Xylem also contains two other type of cells: parenchyma and fibers. [7] Xylem can be found:
Xylem fibers or Xylem sclerenchyma; Xylem parenchyma; Cross section of 2-year-old Tilia americana, highlighting xylem ray shape and orientation. Xylem tissue is organised in a tube-like fashion along the main axes of stems and roots. It consists of a combination of parenchyma cells, fibers, vessels, tracheids, and ray cells.
Between the xylem and phloem is a meristem called the vascular cambium. This tissue divides off cells that will become additional xylem and phloem. This growth increases the girth of the plant, rather than its length. As long as the vascular cambium continues to produce new cells, the plant will continue to grow more stout.
The phloem is the living portion of the vascular system of a plant, and serves to move sugars and photosynthate from source cells to sink cells. Phloem tissue is made of sieve elements and companion cells, and is surrounded by parenchyma cells. The sieve element cells work as the main player in transport of phloem sap.
Parenchyma is a versatile ground tissue that generally constitutes the "filler" tissue in soft parts of plants. It forms, among other things, the cortex (outer region) and pith (central region) of stems, the cortex of roots, the mesophyll of leaves, the pulp of fruits, and the endosperm of seeds.
A vessel element or vessel member (also called a xylem vessel) [1] is one of the cell types found in xylem, the water conducting tissue of plants. Vessel elements are found in most angiosperms ( flowering plants ) and in some gymnosperms such as cycads and Ephedra , but absent in conifers .
It is a type of conductive cell called a tracheary element. Angiosperms use another type of conductive cell, called vessel elements, to transport water through the xylem. The main functions of tracheid cells are to transport water and inorganic salts, and to provide structural support for trees.
Most of these cells transform into xylem and phloem. But certain cells don't transform into xylem and phloem and remain as such. [clarification needed] These cells cut out by the cambium towards the periphery are phloem parenchyma while those towards the pith are xylem parenchyma. Both of these cells together work as secondary medullary rays.