phloem meaning: definition, etymology

phloem

noun

UK /ˈfləʊ.əm/ · US /ˈfloʊ.əm/

Etymology First attested in 1872. From German Phloëm, coined by Swiss botanist Carl Nägeli in 1858 from Ancient Greek φλόος (phlóos, “husk, bark”) + a Greek-sounding ending -em (cf. System).

Biology, Botany, Natural sciences A vascular tissue in land plants primarily responsible for the distribution of sugars and nutrients manufactured in the shoot.

Derived terms: citrus vein phloem degeneration, epiphloeum, leptophloem, metaphloem, periphloem, phloematic, phloemic, phloemlike, phloeophagous, protophloem
Coordinate terms: xylem