Question

Differentiate between xylem and phloem.

Answer 1

Hint: Xylem and Phloem are complex tissues made up of more than one type of cells which work together as a unit and are known as the vascular parts of the plant.

Complete answer:

Basis of comparison	Xylem	Phloem
Definition	It is the complex tissue involved in transporting water and other nutrients to the plants.	It is the complex tissue involved in transporting food and other organic materials.
Contains	Xylem is made up of dead cells (parenchyma is the only living cell present in the xylem).	Phloem is mainly made up of living cells (fibers are the only dead cells in the phloem).
Comprises of	Xylem contains Xylem vessels, fiber and tracheids.	Phloem contains Phloem fibers, sieve tubes, sieve cells, phloem parenchyma and companion cells.
Found	Xylem is present in the centre of the vascular bundle, deep in the plant.	Phloem is present on the outer side of the vascular bundle.
Kind of movement	Unidirectional flow	Bidirectional flow
Role	It provides mechanical support.	It does not provide mechanical support.
Other features	It is the dead tissue during maturity lacking cell contents.	It is the living tissue lacking the nucleus.
	It constitutes the bulk of the plant body.	Phloem forms a small part of the plant body.
	The conducting cells of xylem i.e. tracheary cells are dead.	In phloem, the conducting cells are living.

Note:
1. Gymnosperms lack vessels in their xylem.
2. The presence of vessels is a characteristic of Angiosperms.
3. Sieve tube elements, companion cells, phloem parenchyma and phloem fibers are the constituents of phloem in angiosperms.
4. Gymnosperms have albuminous cells and sieve cells. They lack sieve tubes and companion cells.
5. The monocotyledons lack phloem parenchyma.