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C HAPTER 6
ANATOMY OF FLOWERING PLANTS
6.1 The Tissue You can very easily see the structural similarities and variations in the
System external morphology of the larger living organism, both plants and
animals. Similarly, if we were to study the internal structure, one also
6.2 Anatomy of
finds several similarities as well as differences. This chapter introduces
Dicotyledonous
you to the internal structure and functional organisation of higher plants.
and
Study of internal structure of plants is called anatomy. Plants have cells
Monocotyledonous as the basic unit, cells are organised into tissues and in turn the tissues
Plants are organised into organs. Different organs in a plant show differences in
their internal structure. Within angiosperms, the monocots and dicots
are also seen to be anatomically different. Internal structures also show
adaptations to diverse environments.
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Epidermal cells
Subsidiary cells
Chloroplast
Guard cells
Stomatal
pore
Figure 6.1 Diagrammatic representation: (a) stomata with bean-shaped guard cells
(b) stomata with dumb-bell shaped guard cell
The cells of epidermis bear a number of hairs. The root hairs are
unicellular elongations of the epidermal cells and help absorb water and
minerals from the soil. On the stem the epidermal hairs are called
trichomes. The trichomes in the shoot system are usually multicellular.
They may be branched or unbranched and soft or stiff. They may even
be secretory. The trichomes help in preventing water loss due to
transpiration.
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(Figure 6.4 a). Covered with a thin layer of cuticle, it may bear trichomes and
a few stomata. The cells arranged in multiple layers between epidermis and
pericycle constitute the cortex. It consists of three sub-zones. The outer
hypodermis, consists of a few layers of collenchymatous cells just below the
epidermis, which provide mechanical strength to the young stem. Cortical
layers below hypodermis consist of rounded thin walled parenchymatous
cells with conspicuous intercellular spaces. The innermost layer of the cortex
is called the endodermis. The cells of the endodermis are rich in starch
grains and the layer is also referred to as the starch sheath. Pericycle is
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present on the inner side of the endodermis and above the phloem in the
form of semi-lunar patches of sclerenchyma. In between the vascular bundles
there are a few layers of radially placed parenchymatous cells, which constitute
medullary rays. A large number of vascular bundles are arranged in a ring ;
the ‘ring’ arrangement of vascular bundles is a characteristic of dicot stem.
Each vascular bundle is conjoint, open, and with endarch protoxylem. A
large number of rounded, parenchymatous cells with large intercellular
spaces which occupy the central portion of the stem constitute the pith.
6.2.5 Dorsiventral
(Dicotyledonous) Leaf
The vertical section of a dorsiventral leaf
through the lamina shows three main
parts, namely, epidermis, mesophyll and
vascular system. The epidermis which
covers both the upper surface (adaxial
epidermis) and lower surface (abaxial
epidermis) of the leaf has a conspicuous
cuticle. The abaxial epidermis generally
bears more stomata than the adaxial
epidermis. The latter may even lack
stomata. The tissue between the upper
and the lower epidermis is called the
mesophyll. Mesophyll, which possesses
chloroplasts and carry out
photosynthesis, is made up of
parenchyma. It has two types of cells – the
palisade parenchyma and the spongy
parenchyma. The adaxially placed
palisade parenchyma is made up of
Figure 6.5 T.S. of leaf : (a) Dicot (b) Monocot elongated cells, which are arranged
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vertically and parallel to each other. The oval or round and loosely arranged
spongy parenchyma is situated below the palisade cells and extends to
the lower epidermis. There are numerous large spaces and air cavities
between these cells. Vascular system includes vascular bundles, which
can be seen in the veins and the midrib. The size of the vascular bundles
are dependent on the size of the veins. The veins vary in thickness in the
reticulate venation of the dicot leaves. The vascular bundles are
surrounded by a layer of thick walled bundle sheath cells. Look at
Figure 6.5 (a) and find the position of xylem in the vascular bundle.
S UMMARY
Anatomically, a plant is made of different kinds of tissues. The plant tissues are
broadly classified into meristematic (apical, lateral and intercalary) and permanent
(simple and complex). Assimilation of food and its storage, transportation of water,
minerals and photosynthates, and mechanical support are the main functions
of tissues. There are three types of tissue systems – epidermal, ground and
vascular. The epidermal tissue systems are made of epidermal cells, stomata
and the epidermal appendages. The ground tissue system forms the main bulk
of the plant. It is divided into three zones – cortex, pericycle and pith. The vascular
tissue system is formed by the xylem and phloem. On the basis of presence of
cambium, location of xylem and phloem, the vascular bundles are of different
types. The vascular bundles form the conducting tissue and translocate water,
minerals and food material.
Monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants show marked variation in their
internal structures. They differ in type, number and location of vascular bundles.
The secondary growth occurs in most of the dicotyledonous roots and stems.
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EXERCISES
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