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Phloem Tissue

Key Stage 4

Meaning

A diagram showing several phloem cells with companion cells and sieve plates.

Phloem tissue is a tissue used to transport sugars around a plant.

About Phloem Tissue

Phloem tissue transports sugars, made in the leaves by photosynthesis, to other organs in the plant.
Phloem tissue is found next to the xylem tissue and together they make a plant vein.
The process of sugar transport around the plant is known as translocation.
Phloem tissue is formed by phloem cells connecting the vacuoles of one phloem cell to the next. The cell wall between each phloem cell has small holes in it and is known as a sieve plate. The phloem cell lose many of their organelles, including mitochondria so they are supported by companion cells which keep them alive.


References

Edexcel

Phloem tissue, page 133, GCSE Biology, Pearson, Edexcel