The Vascular Highway

• Xylem and phloem make up the vascular system of plants.spring leaf image by John Sfondilias from Fotolia.com
  
  Vascular plants operate two major transportation networks, the xylem and the phloem tissue. The xylem moves water and dissolved minerals as well as supporting the plant's structure. The phloem carries food and other organic substances throughout the plant, including carbohydrates made by the process of photosynthesis in the plant's leaves that feed the plant.
  
  

Xylem System

• Transpiration draws water to leaves.leaf background image by bCracker from Fotolia.com
  
  Water and other nutrients from the soil enter the the xylem tubes in the roots via osmosis. Water is then pulled up into the xylem tubes into the stems. The xylem tubes in the stem draw the water and nutrients up even further to the xylem tissue in the leaves. This natural vacuum-like process by which water is siphoned upward from the roots via the xylem to the leaves due to water evaporating on the leaves' surface is known as transpiration.
  
  

Phloem System

• Photosynthesis creates foodhoja verde image by quicolopez from Fotolia.com
  
  The phloem tubes carry carbohydrates made in the leaves via photosynthesis to the phloem tubes in the stem and roots to feed the plant.
  
  

Inside the Xylem

• Xylem conducts water and nutrients.water lily bud with water droplets image by Tamara Kulikova from Fotolia.com
  
  Inside the xylem tubes are trachaids, vessel elements and parenchyma cells. The trachaids are long, tapered cells that conduct water and nutrients within the xylem. Vessel element cells also live within the xylem walls but are shorter and wider than the trachaids and also transport of water and nutrients throughout the plant. The paranchyma cells also exist within the xylem walls and aid the transportation of water and nutrients.
  
  

Inside the Phloem

• Phloem carries nutrients.plants image by Vaida from Fotolia.com
  
  The phloem is home to companion and sieve cells. These cells live inside the phloem tubes and facilitate the transportation of food from the leaves to the rest of the system. The companion cells control the sieve cells as dissolved food flows through their cell walls. The active movement of carbohydrates into the phloem cells as well as water pressure forces substances from cell to cell.
  
  

Vascular vs. Non Vascular

• Moss is non-vascular.moss image by Einar Bog from Fotolia.com
  
  Two main distinctions separate vascular plants from non-vascular plants.
  
  The xylem network in vascular plants enables the plant to become bigger and taller as long as it has the right growing conditions. Non-vascular plants have a limited growth potential because they do not have a vascular system to transport water and provide structure.
  
  Vascular plants have two sets of chromosomes per cell, called a diploid. Non-vascular plants have only one set of chromosomes per cell, called a haploid.