Question

Identify the following diagram, label it and prepare a chart of characteristics.

Answer 1

Simple permanent tissue (parenchyma)-

1. It is a type of simple permanent tissue.
2. Cells in this tissue are thin walled, isodiametric, round, oval to polygonal or elongated in shape.
3. Cell wall is composed of cellulose.
4. Cells are living with prominent nucleus and cytoplasm with large vacuole.
5. Parenchyma has distinct intercellular spaces. Sometimes, cells may show compact arrangement.
6. The cytoplasm of adjacent cells is interconnected through plasmodesmata and thus forms a continuous tissue.
7. This is less specialized permanent tissue.
8. Occurrence:
   These cells are distributed in all the parts of a plant body viz. epidermis, cortex, pericycle, pith, mesophyll cells, endosperm, xylem and phloem.
9. Functions:
   These cells store food, water, help in gaseous exchange, increase buoyancy, perform photosynthesis and different functions in plant body.
10. Dedifferentiation in parenchyma cells develops vascular cambium and cork cambium at the time of secondary growth.