What is the role of a plant’s stem?

The different parts of a plant have varying and significant roles to play. While the roots absorb nutrients and water from the soil, the leaves prepare food for the plant. The stem of a plant grows upward from the root. It holds the plant upright, and connects the root with the leaves.

Plants have diverse kinds of stems. Some stems trail along the ground, while others climb a post or grow straight up in the air. Sometimes, some parts of the stem may be underground. The stem may be soft and green or tough and covered with bark. Hard, bark-covered stems are usually called trunks.

The leaves are held up in the air towards the sun by stem. The stem also holds up the flowers and the fruits. It also functions as a as a conveyance belt between the roots and the leaves carrying water and minerals. Food materials move from the leaves downward to the roots and other parts of the plants through stems too.

The plant stem has xylem and phloem vessels. They are microscopic pipelines that carry water and food. The terminal bud, found at the tip of the stem, enables it to lengthen.

 

Picture Credit : Google