Simple Permanent Tissues

Parenchyma Tissues

• Parenchyma tissues provide support to plants and also stores food in roots and stems
• Parenchyma forms the basic packing tissue
• The cells are not highly specialised
• The cells have thin walls
• They are live cells
• They have large spaces between cells (intercellular space) as the cells are loosely packed

Chlorenchyma Tissues

Sometimes Parenchyma tissues contain chlorophyll and performs photosynthesis

These are called Chlorenchyma

Aerenchyma Tissues

Parenchyma tissues also have large air cavities present in them to give buoyancy to the plants

This helps them to float

Collenchyma Tissues

• Collenchyma can be found in leaf stalks below epidermis .
• It gives flexibility to the plants
• It allows bending of leaves, stem etc. without breaking
• This way it provides mechanical support as well
• The cells are living and elongated
• The cells have irregular thickenings at the corners
• The intercellular spaces are very little

Sclerenchyma Tissues

Look at the husk of a coconut? It is made of sclerenchyma tissues

• Sclerenchyma tissues are found in stems, around vascular bundles, in the veins of leaves and in the hard covering of seeds and nuts .
• Providing hardness and stiffness is the role of Sclerenchyma tissues
• These are made up of dead cells
• They are long and narrow due to thick walls
• The thickening is due to lignin (a chemical substance which acts as cement and hardens them)
• Most often there is no intercellular space as the walls are so thick
• It provides strength to the plant parts