Question

Which of the following options is correct for both tracheids and vessels?

• A. They are the examples of syncyte
• B. End walls are perforated
• C. End walls are pointed
• D. Dead, water conducting tissue in most angiosperms

Answer 1

The correct option is D Dead, water conducting tissue in most angiosperms

Xylem is a water conducting tissue in plant body. Xylem is made of tracheids, vessels (tracheae), xylem parenchyma and xylem fibres. Of these four, tracheids and vessels (tracheae) are chief conducting elements in xylem.

Tracheids are hard, thick, elongated, tube like, dead cells having tapering ends (pointed). They possess long cavity or lumen which extends throughout the tracheid.

Vessels are also called as tracheae. They are tube like, cylindrical, dead cells with lignified walls and large cavity. They have perforated walls. They are formed by fusion of cells hence, are called syncytes.

Due to death of tracheids and vessels, the cells possess a large cavity or lumen and form a pipe-line like structure through which solutes move freely. Thus, the correct answer is option d.