The fine structure of corn phloem

Abstract

The differentiation of sieve elements, companion cells, and vascular parenchyma in leaf bundles of corn is described. The sieve elements have plastids with distinctive crystalline inclusions, lack P-protein, and have nacreous walls in which the predominant orientation of microfibrils seems to be at right angles to the length of the cell. The companion and vascular parenchyma cells have numerous, well-developed mitochondria. These and other results are discussed in relation to long distance transport in the sieve elements.