Collenchyma Tissue Characteristics, Types and Functions

This article we will discuss about Collenchyma Tissue Characteristics, Types and Functions

Collenchyma Tissue Characteristics

• Collenchyma are living mechanical tissue
• The shape of collenchyma cell can be variable. It may be oval, spherical, round or polygonal
• Cell wall contains cellulose, hemicelluloses and pectic materials
• Cellulose, hemicellulose and pectin are deposited at the corners of cell
• Found in under the epidermis of young stems, leaf veins, leaf margins and petiole
• Collenchyma is absent in mature plant parts, roots and monocots
• Intercellular spaces are absent and cells are compactly arranged

Types of collenchyma tissue

Depending upon the pattern of wall thickening and cell arrangement and their location, the collenchyma tissues are classified into following types.

Angular collenchyma

• Most common type of collenchyma tissue
• Intercellular spaces absent
• Cell wall deposition occur at corners of cells
• E.g. Solanum

Lacunar collenchyma

• Cells posses large intercellular spaces
• Cell wall deposition occur on walls which are in front of intercellular spaces
• E.g. Cucurbita stems and areal roots of monsteria

Lamellar collenchyma

• Cells are closely arranged horizontal line
• Cell wall deposition occur on parallel cell surface (tangential walls)
• E.g. Sunflower stem

Function of collenchyma

• Collenchyma gives mechanical support to the young dicot plants
• They are more flexible tissue
• Collenchyma with chloroplasts can perform photosynthesis
• Collenchyma together with parenchyma and sclerenchyma provides extra strength to the plants at different stages of development
• Leaves are not teared in high velocity of wind because they have collenchyma tissue

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