Practice question · True or false
Xylem carries water in cells that are dead at maturity.
Hints
- What would a nucleus and cytoplasm do to a water-conducting tube?
- They would obstruct it, so the cell empties and dies before conducting.
Show the answer
True
Why
True, xylem conducting cells die and empty, leaving a hollow lignified tube. The contents would obstruct flow, so death is a functional requirement rather than a limitation. Phloem, by contrast, must stay alive to move sugars actively.
Practise Plant Ground and Vascular Tissues
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More questions on Plant Ground and Vascular Tissues
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