Question

You may have noticed that fibres of coconut husk are hard and brittle, whereas the leaf stalks of coriander are soft and flexible. Find out the reason.

Answer 1

The difference is related to the sorts of tissues found in them. Sclerenchyma tissue, with thick, lignified cell walls, can be found in coconut husk. These dead cells produce hardness and strength, resulting in hard and brittle fibres. Coriander leaf stalks, on the other hand, are made up of parenchyma and collenchyma tissues with thin or irregularly thickened cell walls. These cells are alive, providing flexibility and elasticity.