Xylem is the complex tissue of plants, responsible for transporting water and other nutrients to the plants. | Phloem is living tissue, responsible for transporting food and other organic materials. |
It helps to carry water from roots to leaves. | It helps to carry food from the leaves to growing organs and also to the storage organs. |
Xylem is located in the centre of the vascular bundle, deep in the plant. | Phloem is located on the outer side of the vascular bundle. |
The cell wall of xylem is thick and made up of lignin. | The cell wall of phloem is thin. made up of cellulose. |
It is usually made up of dead cells. | It is usually made up of living cells. |
Their movement is unidirectional. | Their movement is bidirectional. |
It helps in the passive transport of water. | It helps in the active transport of sugar and food. |
Xylem transports only minerals and waters from the roots | Phloem transports food materials that are prepared by the green parts of the plants to other parts of the plant. |
Provide mechanical support | Does not provide mechanical support. |
Xylem fibres are smaller. | Phloem fibres are larger. |
They are present in roots, stems and leaves. | They are present in stems and leaves, which later transports and grow in roots, fruits and seeds. |
The total amount of xylem tissue is more. | The total amount of phloem tissue is less. |
Forms vascular bundles with phloem. | Forms vascular bundles with xylem. |
It consists of tracheids, vessel elements, xylem parenchyma, xylem sclerenchyma and xylem fibres. | It consists of four elements: companion cells, sieve tubes, bast fibres, phloem fibres, intermediary cells and the phloem parenchyma. |
Xylem constitutes mostly the bulk of the body of the plant | Phloem constitutes a small part of the body of the plant |
It is responsible for replacing the total amount of lost water molecules through transpiration and photosynthesis. | It is responsible for transporting proteins and mRNAs throughout the plant. |