Collenchyma tissue provides flexibility to the young mango stem, allowing it to bend without breaking. If replaced by sclerenchyma, the stem would become hard and rigid, reducing flexibility and increasing chances of breaking during strong monsoon winds.
Discussion Forum Latest Questions
Supporting tissues keep plants upright. Collenchyma provides flexibility, allowing fresh twigs to bend without breaking. Sclerenchyma makes seed coats hard and strong. Specialised parenchyma with air spaces helps aquatic plants float easily on water surfaces.
The epidermis protects plants from mechanical injury, water loss, microorganisms and harsh environmental conditions. Its tightly packed cells and waxy cuticle reduce water loss, while root hairs and stomata help absorption, gaseous exchange and transpiration in plants.
The increase in girth is caused by continuous division of cells in the lateral meristem. These cells form new tissues concentrically inside and outside the stem, increasing diameter, producing annual rings and strengthening the plant body over time.
Plants grow in girth through the activity of lateral meristem present along the stem circumference. These actively dividing cells produce new cells inside and outside, increasing stem thickness and forming annual growth rings in woody plants gradually.