Question

What is not true about sclereids?

• A. These are parenchyma cells with thickened lignified walls.
• B. These are spherical, oval or cylindrical.
• C. These are commonly found in the shells of nuts and in the pulp of guava, pear, etc.
• D. These cells also provide support.

Answer 1

Answer: (A)

The sclereids are spherical, oval, or cylindrical, highly thickened dead sclerenchyma cells with very narrow cavities (lumen). These are commonly found in the fruit walls of nuts; pulp of fruits like guava, pear, and sapota; seed coats of legumes and leaves of tea. Sclerenchyma provides mechanical support to organs. These may be of different types, such as brachysclereids (stone cells) found in grit of pear, apple, macrosclereids (columnar), eg, legume seeds, astrosclereids (star-shaped), e.g., tea leaves etc.