Gardenia jasminoides

What are vascular plants?

Most ferns and seed plants live in the terrestrial environment. They are usually green, have embryos and are of considerable size. The body has tissue dedicated to the transport of nutrients in solution in water. Fluid can flow rapidly in these vascular tissues to all parts of the plant body. Ferns and seed plants are both vascular plants, but mosses (Bryophytes) lack vascular tissue.

    The roots, stems and the leaves of vascular plants have xylem that consists of specialized water-conducting tissue. The phloem, usually close to the xylem is specialized for the transportation of nutrients. The cells in xylem and phloem are arranged end to end to form continuous vascular tissue collectively called the vascular bundle. The vascular tissue extends from the roots, through the stems and all the way to the individual leaves. The vascular tissue bundles in the leaves are referred to as veins. The xylem vessels and the sieve tubes of the phloem form an unbroken system of transport channels that extend to every part of the plant. Water absorbed by the roots can be transported easily all the way up the tallest of trees to every single leaf. Nutrients manufactured in the leaves are carried to every other part of the plant by protoplasm flowing in each cell of the phloem sieve tubes.