Detailed Summary
The ground tissue system is a critical component of flowering plants, consisting of all tissues except the epidermis and vascular bundles. It mainly includes simple tissues—parenchyma, collenchyma, and sclerenchyma.
Parenchyma cells are abundant in the cortex, pericycle, pith, and medullary rays of primary stems and roots, playing vital roles in storage and secretion, and they are involved in photosynthesis when they contain chloroplasts. In leaves, the ground tissue is specifically referred to as mesophyll, which is characterized by thin-walled chloroplast-containing cells that facilitate the process of photosynthesis.
Overall, the ground tissue system's structure is adapted to its specific functions in different parts of the plant, emphasizing the diversity and complexity of plant anatomy.