STORAGE
Solanum tuberosum
Solanum tuberosum (potato) is a modified stem called a tuber.
When you look closely at a potato you can see the nodes (eyes) from which new shoots arise.
In the picture to the right you can see some shoots growing from the eye of a potato (courtesy of “Shona’s Kitchen”)
Starch is stored in the potato tuber. The picture to the left is a section through the potato stained with IKI.
This is a section through the apical meristem of one of the “eyes” of a potato…looks like a typical shoot apical meristem.
This section was stained with toluidine blue and shows the vascular tissue that connects the developing bud with the rest of the tuber (stem).
Daucus carota (carrot)
Much of the vascular tissue of the carrot is actually made up of parenchyma cells.
This cross-section shows you how much of the carrot is secondary phloem (remember the phloem ray is part of the secondary phloem). Note that the vast majority of cells are parenchyma.
This close-up of the xylem shows you that there is lots of parenchyma in the xylem as well….and look at that fabulous vascular cambium!!!!!!!!
Peperomia
Peperomia is a lovely little houseplant that has a very interesting way of storing water.
This is a cross section of the Peperomia leaf. The clear area above the green mesophyll is made up of large, thin-walled parenchyma cells which make up the multiple epidermis.
Aloe
The aloe plant has been used to ease the pain of burns.
When you cut a leaf off you can see that is is very juicy (and slimy).
This is a cross-section through the leaf of Aloe. Note the large parenchyma cells used for the storage of water. What type of habitat do think these plants live in? As one student learned in class, applying the slimy innards of the leaf to a burn is very soothing.
Carnegia gigantea
Cacti such as this sanguaro cactus (Carnegia gigantea) store water in their stems.
STORAGE
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