What is conjunctive tissue?

Hint: The cells of conjunctive tissues are either parenchymatous or fibrous. This tissue is found in the vascular bundles of plants.

Complete Answer:
- Vascular tissue is a type of complex conducting tissue that is found in vascular plants. This type of tissue has more than one type of cell. The main components of vascular tissue are phloem and xylem.
- These two tissues carry liquids and nutrients internally. All the vascular tissues of a certain plant together make up the vascular tissue system of that plant. The cells found in the vascular tissue are normally long and slender.
- Since the function of xylem and phloem is the conduction of minerals, water, and nutrients in the plant, it is not surprising that their shape should be identical to pipes.
- Conjunctive tissue is a thin strip of tissue that lies between xylem and phloem bundles of monocot and dicot plants. The cells of conjunctive tissue are either parenchymatous or it may be made up of fibers whose walls may become extremely thick.
- In older roots, the cells of conjunctive tissue can be sclerenchymatous. Parenchymatous conjunctive tissue can be seen in soft monocot stems like corn, gingers, onions, etc. Whereas, a fibrous conjunctive tissue can be seen in harder monocot stem-like many species of palm trees, bamboo, etc.

Note: The vascular bundle of a root composed of endodermis, phloem, pericycle, protoxylem, conjunctive tissue, metaxylem, Casparian strip, and passage cell. Pith is large and well developed in monocot root.