NEETBotanyPhotosynthesis in Higher Plants
What characterizes the bundle sheath cells in C4 plants?
Options
- ASmall size and thin walls
- BLarge number of chloroplasts, thick walls, and no intercellular spaces
- CAbsence of chloroplasts
- DLarge intercellular spaces and thin walls
Correct answer
B. Large number of chloroplasts, thick walls, and no intercellular spaces
Step-by-step solution
The particularly large cells around the vascular bundles of the C4 plants are called bundle sheath cells, and the leaves which have such anatomy are said to have ‘Kranz’ anatomy. ‘Kranz’ means ‘wreath’ and is a reflection of the arrangement of cells. The bundle sheath cells may form several layers around the vascular bundles; they are characterised by having a large number of chloroplasts, thick walls impervious to gaseous exchange and no intercellular spaces. You may like to cut a section of the leaves of C4 plant