Dead cells in plant vascular tissue

Steps:

• Examine transverse sections for plant structures like xylem, phloem, cortex, and pith.
• Identify xylem as the tissue with lignified walls for water conduction.
• Recall that xylem vessels and tracheids die at maturity to form hollow tubes.
• Match labelled regions to these tissues, selecting the one with dead cells.

Why A is correct:

• Region A represents xylem, where cells are dead at maturity per plant anatomy, enabling efficient water transport without protoplasm obstruction.

Why the others are wrong:

• B is phloem, containing living sieve tubes and companion cells for nutrient transport.
• C is cortex, with living parenchyma cells for storage and support.
• D is pith, featuring living cells for storage in stems.

Final answer: A