Question

Vessel elements are
A. Dead at maturity
B. Are important constituents of all plants
C. Living at maturity
D. All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Vessel components are the building blocks of vessels that make up the majority of the water transporting infrastructure in the plants where they exist. Vessels form an effective mechanism for transferring water (along with essential minerals) from the root to the leaves and other parts of the plant. Lignin is a material that is used to make vessels. They have a central cavity and a lignified cell wall.

Complete answer:
Vessel components are the cells that shape vessels and are a type of water-conducting element found in angiosperms. It's a kind of xylem tissue. Vessels are not present in gymnosperms, where water conduction is accomplished by tracheids. Because of the existence of vessels, angiosperm wood is referred to as porous wood because the vessel components have a larger lumen. These cells lose their cytoplasm when they mature due to lignin accumulation in their walls. As a result, there are dead cells.

- Option B says that vessels are important constituents of all plants but they are not present in gymnosperms. Hence, this option is wrong
- Option C says that vessels are living at maturity but they get dead at maturity. Hence, C cannot be the correct option.
- Option D says all of the above which cannot be approved because option B, C are incorrect
- Option A says dead at maturity which is true.

Vessel elements get the deposition of lignin when they start to mature. Lignin stops the air supply which makes them dead. Hence, option A is correct.

Note: Tracheid cells and vessel members, which are usually narrow, hollow, and elongated, make up the xylem tracheary components. Tracheids are the only kind of water-conducting cells found in most gymnosperms and seedless vascular plants and are less specialized than vessel members. The walls of vessels are thinner than those of the tracheids.