Vascular Plants – Definition, Characteristics, Examples

Vascular Plants

Vascular plants are those varieties of plants that have special vascular tissue in them. The two types of vascular tissue, phloem, and xylem are behind the movement of water, minerals, and the products of photosynthesis.

Moreover, the movement takes place throughout the plant. Unlike a non-vascular plant, a Vascular plants comparatively grow much larger.

The vascular tissue provides a means of transporting water to great heights, allowing a vascular plant to grow upward to catch the sun. In this article, we will be looking at practical examples.

Structure of Vascular Plants

The very structure of non-vascular and vascular plants is very different from each other from inside. In non-vascular plants, there is little to no differentiation between the different cells. In the case of vascular plants, the specialized vascular tissues are set in unique patterns. Moreover, it depends on the division of the plant and species the plant associates to.

Characteristics of Vascular Plants

1. Roots

The stem of the plant is behind the derivation of the roots which are the group of simple tissues. It anchors the plant in the ground and transport minerals and water into the plant.

2. Xylem

The xylem is a tissue that supplies water throughout the parts of the plant. Also, its tissue is tight and saved in the fossil record. Moreover, it can be seen throughout the parts of the plant viz, in the leaves, stem, and roots.

3. Phloem

The phloem is known as the plant’s food supply system. Moreover, they bring minerals up from the roots and the byproducts of photosynthesis down to supply them throughout the parts of the plant.

4. Leaves

There are generally 2 types of leaves for vascular plants viz, microphylls and megaphylls. In addition, microphylls own 1 vascular strand. On the other hand, all the vascular tissue stands parallel in the leaf.

5. Growth

The growth of a plant mainly occurs at the tips of the roots and the stems, lengthening the vascular system. Besides, in the case of Secondary growth, it thickens the stem and the roots. Moreover, it makes them wider.

Examples of Vascular Plants

1. Annual Vs. Perennial

Annuals are the plants that complete their lifecycle within one year. In addition, if you are planning to buy an annual at the store, plant it in your garden, and collect all the seeds it drops, as the plant would not come back next year. Typically, annuals are herbaceous, meaning their stems and roots and not highly structured and rigid.

2. Monocot Vs. Dicot

Within the angiosperms or flowering plants, there is a huge division. If we talk about monocots and dicots then they both are vascular plants, they differ in the way that their seeds form, and the way that they grow. Moreover, a monocot growth occurs below the soil, as individual leaves are started from near the roots and grow upward.

Solved Question For You

Question: Explain the ‘growth’ characteristic analysis of a dicot as a vascular plant.

Answer: In a dicot, the growth point is above the soil, and this causes the plants to branch out in several directions. As such, the vascular tissue in a dicot is branched wherein a monocot it runs parallel. Also, this pattern creates easy branching opportunities.

Furthermore, These changes in vascular tissue represent the various methods of forming leaves to collect light seen in the two types of vascular plants.