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Question

Difficulty: EasySupport Structures and Locomotion

Which of the following plant tissues provides flexible mechanical support to young growing stems through cell walls with localized cellulose and pectin thickenings at the corners?

  1. Collenchyma tissueAnswer
  2. B
    Sclerenchyma tissue
  3. C
    Xylem vessel tissue
  4. D
    Parenchyma tissue

Answer

Collenchyma tissue provides flexible mechanical support to young growing shoots due to uneven cellulose and pectin thickenings at cell wall corners.
Collenchyma cells remain living at maturity and possess unevenly thickened cell walls containing high amounts of cellulose and pectin at the corners. This structural arrangement allows young plant parts, such as growing stems and leaf petioles, to bend without breaking.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary supporting tissues in plants and their structural features.
Collenchyma tissue consists of living cells with localized wall thickenings composed of cellulose and pectin.
These specific corner thickenings allow the tissue to resist bending stress while permitting continued growth and flexibility.

Key Concept

Plant supporting tissues and cell wall thickenings
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Topics

Support Structures and Locomotion

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