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Xylem

Key Stage 3

Meaning

A magnified image of a plant vein with xylem dyed orange.

The Xylem is a tube used to transport of water in plants.

About the Xylem

The xylem is made of xylem cells which have died to form hollow tubes.
The xylem transports water and minerals absorbed by the roots up to the leaves.

Key Stage 4

Meaning

The Xylem is a tube used to transport of water in plants.

About Xylem

Xylem transports water and minerals absorbed by the roots up to the leaves.
Water is transported along the xylem by a process called transpiration.
The xylem supports the stem of the plant making it harder to bend under its own weight.
The xylem is formed when xylem cells create a chemical called lignin which builds up in a spiral shape around the cell wall. The xylem cells then die to leave behind hollow tubes supported by the spiral of lignin.

References

AQA

Xylem, pages 10, 69, GCSE Combined Science Trilogy 1, Hodder, AQA
Xylem, pages 12-13, 62-65, GCSE Biology; Third Edition, Oxford University Press, AQA
Xylem, pages 55, 70, 72-3, 108, GCSE Biology; Student Book, Collins, AQA
Xylem, pages 9, 10, 69, GCSE Biology, Hodder, AQA

Edexcel

Xylem, page 49, GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel
Xylem, pages 207, 213, GCSE Biology, CGP, Edexcel
Xylem, pages 71, 73, GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, Edexcel

OCR

Xylem, page 32, Gateway GCSE Combined Science; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR
Xylem, page 39, Gateway GCSE Biology; The Revision Guide, CGP, OCR
Xylem, pages 78, 80-81, Gateway GCSE Biology, Oxford, OCR