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Ground Tissue-2

Parenchyma has some Mechanical Functions

It provides Air Spaces which are required for Gas Diffusion inside Leaves, Stems and Roots.
It provides some Structural Support because the cells are turgid like inflated water balloons.

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Water-lily Leaves		 AerenchymaMakaloa300.jpg (86211 bytes)
Parenchyma that has a lot of air spaces is called Aerenchyma

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Section of a Water-lily Leaf
Water-lily leaves float on the surface of ponds. They contain extremely large air cavities. This is a characteristic feature for plants that live in aquatic environments.
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Parenchyma from the stem of 'ulu (Breadfruit) seen with normal light.		 ULUSTMXSCRYSTALSPOLCrop300Lab.jpg (92263 bytes)
Parenchyma from the stem of 'ulu (Breadfruit) seen with polarized light. The Crystals are prominent with this kind of illumination!
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Druse Crystals seen with Normal light.		 DruseDuet300Lab.jpg (46123 bytes)
Druse Crystals seen with Polarized light. Plant crystals are made from Calcium Oxalate which inflames animal epithelial tissues. This can be lethal. These crystals must be removed before food containing them can safely be eaten. Kalo and 'ulu are examples of this.

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