| Xylem | Phloem |
| 1. In plants water and mineral salts are transported by xylem tissue. | 1. In plants food material is transported by phloem tissue. |
| 2. Xylem consists of trachieds, vessels, xylem fibres and xylem parenchyma. | 2. Phloem consists of sieve tubes, sieve cells, companion cells, phloem fibres and phloem parenchyma. |
| 3. Only xylem parenchyma is living tissue. | 3. Sieve tubes, sieve cells, companion cells and phloem parenchyma are living. |
| 4. Trachieds, vessels,xylem fibres are dead tissues. | 4. Phloem fibres are dead tissues |
| 5. Xylem gives mechanical strength to the plant. | 5. Phloem does not give mechanical strength. |
| 6. Conduction of water by xylem is unidirectional i.e., from roots to apical parts of the plant. | 6. Food material conduction is bidi‐ rectional i.e., from leaves to storage organs or growing points and from storage organs to all growing parts of plants. |
| 7. Xylem is star shaped. | 7. Phloem is not star shaped. |
| 8. Xylem occupies the center of the vascular bundle. | 8. Phloem occurs on outer side of the vascular bundle. |
| 9. Tubular with hard walled cells. | 9. Tubular with soft walled cells. |
