Xylem and phloem are the vascular tissues that are present in vascular plants like clubmosses, ferns, and angiosperms, etc. They transport food, water, mineral, and other substances from one part of the plant to another. Now let see the pivotal differences between xylem and phloem.
So What is the Differences between Xylem and Phloem?
1. Phloem tissues are useful in transporting nutrients from the roots to other parts of the plant
Functions of both xylem and phloem tissues are different from each other. Xylem tissues are accountable for taking water and minerals from the roots to the airborne parts of the plant while phloem takes food, Carbohydrate and other essential supplements from the leaves to the capacity parts and afterwards developing parts of the plant.
2. Xylem forms from dead cells
Both xylem and phloem tissues are formed of two types of cells. Xylem is made up of dead cells other than the Parenchyma cells while Phloem is made up of leaving cells except for phloem fibers.
3. The wall of the phloem is made up of cellulose
The thick cell wall of the xylem is made up of lignin that gives rigidity to the plants while the thin wall of the phloem is made up of cellulose.
4. Xylem tissues moves in one direction
Xylem tissues have a unidirectional pathway as it takes water from the ground or roots to the airborne parts of the plants this is the reason that it only moves in an upward direction. Phloem tissue has a bidirectional pathway as it takes food and other essential elements from the leaves to the storage parts and then from storage part to the growing parts of the plants. It can move in both upward and downward directions.
5. Xylem tissues include xylem fibers
Xylem tissues are comprised of xylem fibers, tracheids, xylem parenchyma, and vessels while Phloem tissues are comprise of sieve tubes, sieve cells, companion cells, Phloem fibers, and Phloem Parenchyma.
6. Phloem cells have cytoplasm
There is no cytoplasm in the xylem cells while Phloem cells have a cytoplasm that goes through the holes in the sieve tube from one cell to the other one.
7. Xylem offers mechanical strength
Apart from conduction, xylem provides mechanical strength to plant that helps them to stand in the time of stress. Phloem does not provide any mechanical strength to plants.
8. The conducting channels in phloem tissues are sieve tubes
The conducting channels and treachery elements in xylem tissues are tracheid and vessels. While in Phloem tissues the conducting channel are the sieve tubes.
9. Phloem is situated outside the vascular bundle
In a vascular bundle, xylem occupies the central position while a phloem positions outside the vascular bundle.
10. Xylem cells are not permeable
The xylem cells are impermeable to water while the phloem cells are permeable to food.
11. Xylem cells are star-like in shape
Xylem is like the shape of a star while Phloem is not like a star shape.
12. Greater part of mature plants are Xylem
In mature plants, xylem occupies a large volume of the plant body while phloem occupies a small proportion of mature plant body.
Xylem and phloem are both the types of vascular tissues. The major difference between the xylem and phloem is in the transport material by each of the vascular tissues. This transportation occurs in the xylem in passive mode while in phloem it occurs in active mode.
