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Definition

noun

A tissue in a vascular plant that functions primarily in transporting organic food materials (e.g. sucrose) from the photosynthetic organ (leaf) to all the parts of the plant.

Supplement

Phloem is comprised of the following major components:
(1) sieve tube
(2) companion cell
(3) phloem fibers
(4) phloem parenchyma

The tissue is responsible for translocation, a process in plants responsible for transporting the photosynthate materials to all parts of a vascular plant.

Phloem may be classified into the following based on the stage or origin of growth:

• primary phloem
• secondary phloem

Word origin: from the Greek phloos (bark)

Compare:

• xylem

See also:

• translocation

Related term(s):

• primary phloem
• secondary phloem
• phloem parenchyma
• phloem fiber
• protopholoem
• metaphloem

Mentioned in:

• vascular bundle
• vascular tissue
• girdle
• callose
• fibrovascular bundle