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Plants Part 3. Stems. Stem. Main function: to hold up the leaves and conduct substances between the root and the leaves. Two types of stems: herbaceous and woody.
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Plants Part 3 Stems
Stem • Main function: to hold up the leaves and conduct substances between the root and the leaves. • Two types of stems: herbaceous and woody. • Herbaceous stems are green and soft, they do not survive through winters and must regrow each year. Vascular bundles with the xylem and phloem. • Xylem is closer to the centre, phloem is closer to the outside of the stem. • Vascular bundles of the herbaceous monocot are found throughout the stem. • Vascular bundles of the herbaceous dicot are arranged in a ring closer to the outside. They also have a vascular cambium between the xylem and phloem.
Woody stems are more complex, are tough and hard, commonly called wood, and can survive through the winter. • Grow thicker over time due to the vascular cambium making new xylem and phloem. • Sapwood is younger xylem, conducts the water and minerals. The older xylem fills with resins, oils and other chemicals and is called heartwood. • The growth of new xylem each spring results in a new layer of sapwood and an annual ring is formed. • Outer part is called the bark. • Protects the tissue • Contains cork tissue • Outer cork cells are dead and contain fats, oils, waxes
Stems can also store food • Modified stems: • Rhizomes are thick, fleshy stems that grow on or just below the soil’s surface. • Tubers are stems that grow underground. They have a lot of stored food in them and have eyes that grow into buds. • Bulbs are underground stems: surrounded by modified leaves
Human Uses of Stems Fuel: ethanol, wood Food: sugar cane, potatoes, maple syrup, asparagus Textiles: flax, hemp, bamboo Dyes: indigo Other chemicals: tannin (wood stain), turpentine, latex rubber Medicine: salicyclic acid (pain reliever from willow bark), taxol (anti-cancer drug made of yew tree bark)