Fern stem, light micrograph. Transverse section through a rachis (stem) of the bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). Under the outer epidermis (orange)

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Fern stem, light micrograph. Transverse section through a rachis (stem) of the bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum). Under the outer epidermis (orange) is a thin cortex (yellow and red) of thick-walled cells (sclerenchyma). The rest of the stem consists of a supporting tissue of parenchyma cells (red walls). Within the stem, embedded in the parenchyma, are vascular strands (oval-shaped) called the meristeles. At the centre of these are thick-walled wood cells (xylem). Magnification: x14 when printed at 10 centimetres wide.

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Size: 5616px × 3744px
Photo credit: © DR KEITH WHEELER/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: anatomical, anatomy, aquilinum, background, biological, biology, blue, botanical, botany, bracken, cell, cells, cellular, cortex, cross-section, cut, cut-, cut-outs, cutout, cutouts, epidermis, fern, , ferns, flora, internal, light, lm, meristele, meristeles, micrograph, microscope, nature, outs, parenchyma, part, parts, plant, plants, pteridium, pteridophyte, pteridophytes, rachis, sclerenchyma, section, sectioned, structural, structure, tissue, transverse, vascular, xylem