Cortex (botany) 1884746 208221275 2008-04-25T23:38:52Z VoABot II 1879647 BOT - Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/68.41.17.3|68.41.17.3]] {[[User:VoABot_II/Help#Revert_reasons|possible vandalism]]} to last version by [[Special:Contributions/WriterHound|WriterHound]]. [[Image:Stem-histology-cross-section-tag.svg|thumb|right|250px|Cross-section of a [[flax]] plant stem:<br> 1. [[:en:pith|Pith]],<br> 2. [[:en:protoxylem|Protoxylem]],<br> 3. [[:en:xylem|Xylem]] I,<br> 4. [[:en:phloem|Phloem]] I,<br> 5. [[:en:Sclerenchyma|Sclerenchyma]] ([[:en:bast fibre|bast fibre]]),<br> 6. [[:en:cortex|Cortex]],<br> 7. [[:en:epidermis (botany)|Epidermis]]]] In [[botany]], the '''cortex''' is the outer portion of the [[plant stem|stem]] or [[root]] of a plant, bounded on the outside by the [[Epidermis (botany)|epidermis]] and on the inside by the [[endodermis]]. It is composed mostly of [[undifferentiated cell]]s, usually large thin-walled [[parenchyma]] cells of the [[ground tissue]] system. The outer cortical cells often acquire irregularly thickened cell walls, and are called collenchyma cells. Some of the outer cortical cells may contain [[chloroplast]]s. It is responsible for the transportation of materials into the central cylinder of the root through diffusion and may also be used for food storage in the form of starch. ==See also== *[[Bast (biology)]] {{botany-stub}} [[Category:Plant anatomy]] [[Category:Plant physiology]] [[pt:Córtex (botânica)]]