Plant tissues — AQA GCSE Biology
Test yourself on Plant tissues with AQA GCSE practice questions.
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Plant tissues explained
Plant tissues are groups of similar cells working together for a shared job, and each tissue's structure matches that job.
Read the full explanation
Epidermal tissue forms a thin, flat protective covering; its waxy cuticle reduces water loss. Palisade mesophyll is packed with chloroplasts and sits near the upper surface, so it absorbs light for photosynthesis. Spongy mesophyll has rounded cells with large air spaces, allowing carbon dioxide to diffuse to photosynthesising cells. Xylem contains dead, hollow, lignified cells that carry water and mineral ions upward and give support. Phloem contains living cells with sieve plates that translocate dissolved sugars. Meristem tissue at shoot and root tips divides to produce new growth. Explaining means linking each structural feature to the function it performs, not merely naming the tissue.
Your focus
- Identify the main plant tissues and state where each is found.
- Link at least one structural feature of each tissue to the function it performs.
- Use correct terminology such as cuticle, chloroplast, lignin, sieve plate and meristem when explaining adaptations.
Plant tissues exam tips
Marking Points
- Epidermal tissue is a thin protective layer; in leaves it is covered by a waxy cuticle that reduces water loss by evaporation.
- Palisade mesophyll cells contain many chloroplasts and are positioned near the upper leaf surface, increasing light absorption for photosynthesis.
- Spongy mesophyll cells are loosely packed with air spaces between them, so carbon dioxide can diffuse quickly to palisade cells.
- Xylem tissue is made of dead, hollow cells strengthened with lignin; this allows water and mineral ions to move upward and provides support.
- Phloem tissue contains living cells with sieve plates; dissolved sugars are translocated from sources such as leaves to sinks such as roots and growing regions.
- Meristem tissue at the growing tips of shoots and roots contains cells that divide by mitosis, producing new cells for growth.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Use the connectives 'because' and 'so that' to turn each structural feature into a functional explanation.
- 💡When a question asks about a named tissue, refer to its location in the plant as well as its structure.
- 💡Check that every tissue named in the question has been addressed before finishing your answer.
Common Mistakes
- Naming tissues without linking structure to function; the correction is to state the feature and then explain the job it enables, for example air spaces allow faster carbon dioxide diffusion.
- Claiming that xylem cells are living; the correction is that mature xylem cells are dead and hollow, which allows unimpeded water movement.
- Saying phloem carries water; the correction is that phloem translocates dissolved sugars, while xylem transports water and mineral ions.