A Tree's Vascular System Quiz and Flashcards

What term is used to refer to the system of tubes in plants responsible for transporting substances?

Which type of sap moves in tubes called sieve tubes in plants?

What does xylem mainly carry from roots to the parts above ground in plants?

In which direction does xylem sap move within a plant?

What type of system carries fluid blood in many animals?

What is the term used to describe the movement of phloem sap in different directions within a plant?

Transport Systems in Plants

Plants have evolved special long-distance transport systems to move substances around the plant body.
The vascular system is a network of tubes that transport solutions of mineral ions and organic compounds dissolved in water.
The term "vascular" refers to tubes or vessels, and is found in both plants and animals.

Vascular System in Plants

The vascular system in plants consists of two tissues: xylem and phloem.
Both xylem and phloem contain specialized tubes for transporting fluids called sap (xylem sap or phloem sap).
Xylem sap moves in xylem vessels, while phloem sap moves in sieve tubes.
Xylem and phloem are together known as vascular tissue.

Xylem Function

Xylem carries mainly water and inorganic ions (mineral salts) from roots to the parts above ground.
Xylem sap can move in only one direction, from roots to the rest of the plant.

Phloem Function

Phloem sap carries substances made by photosynthesis from the leaves to other areas of the plant.
Phloem sap can also carry substances from storage organs to other parts of the plant, which might be underground.
At any one time, the fluid in the phloem can be moving in different directions in different tubes of the phloem, up or down the plant.

Test your knowledge on the vascular system in plants, which involves the transportation of substances through specialized tubes. Understand how mineral ions and organic compounds are moved around the plant body through solutions in the vascular system.