Feb 2, 2011

Glossary

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Phloem

Nutrient pathway in plants

Together, the phloem and xylem form the conducting tissue that passes through all the plant organs. While the xylem transports water and dissolved minerals from the roots upwards, the phloem is used to transport nutrients produced in the leaves during photosynthesis.

In flowering plants, the phloem consists of long ‘sieve tubes’. The connecting cross-walls between the sieve tubes have pores to facilitate transportation. The sieve tubes form a functional unit with companion cells, which connect the phloem to the surrounding tissue and play a role in transferring solutes to and from the phloem.