Inside Out

The best place to begin is with the plant itself. Its back to grade school science kids. Lets start with whats under that glissening green outter layer and what makes that baby tick.

Below is a cross section of whats going on inside your stem. Each Layer having its own unique job.

The Epidermis -  The outermost layer of the plant. The epidermis consist of different cell types, guard cells, dermal cells,epidermal hairs, and subsidiary cells. Guard cells and subsidiary cells surround the stomata. The guard cells can manufacture food by photosynthesis because they contain chloroplasts that conduct photosynthesis. The subsidiary cells don't contain chloroplast so they do not play a role. During light hours guard cells produce sugars and swell up causing the stomata to open up. When its lights out the sugar produced is all gone and they loose their water weight, the stomata closes up and holds in as much water vapor as possible.

• Photosynthesis is the process in which a plants convert light energy into chemical energy to fuel the different organisms. Carbon dioxide, sunlight, and water are absorbed and oxygen is discharged as waste

• The Stomata (little pores) are part of the process that allows plants that exchange carbon dioxide and water vapor from the outside world to the inside the leaves. These are found more commonly on the undersides of the leaves.

Cortex - This is found in between the vascular tissues and the epidermis. It an contains stored carbohydrates or other substances such as resins, latex, essential oils, and tannins.

Phloem -  Carries organic nutrients, such as sugars, through out the plant. It is mainly used to transport the glucose and starch produced through photosynthesis.

Xylem - Transports water and minerals from the roots all through the plant. It is also used to replace water lost during transpiration and photosynthesis.

Pith-  Found in the center of the very center of the stem, it is usually light in color, soft and spongy. It stores and transports nutrients throughout the plant