Biology · Anatomy of Flowering Plants · NEET
A complex tissue is a permanent tissue made of MORE THAN ONE type of cell. These different cells work together to do one function. In plants there are only two complex tissues: xylem and phloem. This is different from a simple tissue, which has only one type of cell.
Xylem is called complex because it is built from several different kinds of cells, not just one. It contains tracheids, vessels, xylem fibres and xylem parenchyma. Because these different cell types are grouped together and act as one conducting unit, xylem is a complex tissue. Phloem is complex for the same reason.
A simple tissue has only ONE type of cell (like parenchyma, collenchyma, or sclerenchyma), so all its cells look and act the same. A complex tissue has DIFFERENT types of cells working as one unit. Xylem and phloem are the two complex tissues. NEET often asks this as a Match-the-Column question.
Xylem conducts water and dissolved minerals from the roots UPWARD to the rest of the plant, and also gives mechanical support. Phloem conducts food (mainly sugar made in leaves) to all other parts. Xylem transport is one-way (up); phloem transport can go in both directions.
Xylem is mostly DEAD at maturity — tracheids, vessels and fibres are dead, only xylem parenchyma is living. Phloem is mostly LIVING — sieve tube elements, companion cells and phloem parenchyma are living; only phloem fibres are dead. This living-vs-dead point is a common NEET trap.
Xylem and phloem together form a vascular bundle. Vascular bundles make up the vascular tissue system of the plant. So the vascular tissue system is built from these two complex tissues.
Match List-I with List-II. List-I: (a) Cells with active cell division capacity (b) Tissue having all cells similar in structure and function (c) Tissue having different type of cells (d) Dead cells with highly thickened walls and narrow lumen. List-II: (i) Vascular Tissues (ii) Meristematic tissues (iii) Sclereids (iv) Simple Tissue.
Statement I: Parenchyma is living but collenchyma is dead tissue. Statement II: Gymnosperms lack xylem vessels but presence of xylem vessels is the characteristic of angiosperms. Choose the correct answer.
Try the real previous-year questions from this chapter — each with the answer and a full solution.
The two complex tissues are xylem and phloem. Xylem carries water and minerals upward; phloem carries food. Together they form vascular bundles.
Phloem is a complex tissue because it is made of different cell types: sieve tube elements, companion cells, phloem parenchyma and phloem fibres, all working together to transport food.
The main function of complex tissue is conduction (transport). Xylem transports water and minerals; phloem transports food. Xylem also gives mechanical strength.
They are grouped together because both are conducting (vascular) tissues and lie side by side in a vascular bundle. Together they form the vascular tissue system of the plant.
Meristematic tissue is made of dividing cells and helps the plant grow. Complex tissue is a permanent tissue whose cells no longer divide; it is made of several cell types that conduct water or food.
