Parenchyma tissues. Chlorenchyma: Botanical Comics
And once again, at the beginning of our humorous botanical comic in the series of preparation for the licensing exam in pharmaceutical botany – a new humorous poem in the style of Pavlo Glazovyi!
Chlorenchyma: “The Solar Manufactory”
Now, let us pay tribute to chlorenchyma – a specialized form of the ground tissue (parenchyma), the great laboratory of life, and the prime energy provider of our planet. It is here, within the depths of parenchymal cells, that solar energy is transformed into matter, creating the very foundation for all life on Earth.
Green Culinary Arts
Step inside the emerald leaf, a sun-drenched, bright retreat,
Where chlorenchyma’s kitchen makes a savory, solar treat.
The chloroplasts are master chefs, they know their craft so well:
From light and gas, they cook up life – no smoke and not a smell!
They pour the water, add the gas – the work begins to boil,
Without a single drop of sweat or any heavy toil.
They shape the glucose like a cake, with skill and joyful grace,
To keep the plant’s wide Universe a thriving, healthy place.
And so that we don’t suffocate within this world of ours,
They supply us with pure oxygen from all the leafy bowers.
So, ladies and gentlemen, observe this factory’s might,
Where every beam in chlorenchyma dances in the light!
Remember, friends, this simple truth, quite plain and quite profound,
So that your knowledge on the exam is logically sound:
Chlorenchyma is parenchyma (ground tissue, as we see!),
The leading elder in the plant’s whole tissue family!
Where chlorenchyma’s kitchen makes a savory, solar treat.
The chloroplasts are master chefs, they know their craft so well:
From light and gas, they cook up life – no smoke and not a smell!
They pour the water, add the gas – the work begins to boil,
Without a single drop of sweat or any heavy toil.
They shape the glucose like a cake, with skill and joyful grace,
To keep the plant’s wide Universe a thriving, healthy place.
And so that we don’t suffocate within this world of ours,
They supply us with pure oxygen from all the leafy bowers.
So, ladies and gentlemen, observe this factory’s might,
Where every beam in chlorenchyma dances in the light!
Remember, friends, this simple truth, quite plain and quite profound,
So that your knowledge on the exam is logically sound:
Chlorenchyma is parenchyma (ground tissue, as we see!),
The leading elder in the plant’s whole tissue family!
The ‘Leaf’ residential complex in cross-section. The floors are divided: elite solar studios on top, and spacious aeration lofts below. Everything is arranged according to botanical Feng Shui!
[Top Section Captions (Above the upper epidermis, near the warrior characters)]:
Top caption (in the center, between the warriors): Caption: “Mesophyll is under reliable protection!”
Inside the speech bubble (left warrior): Caption: “MESOPHYLL UNDER RELIABLE PROTECTION!”
[Upper Epidermis Layer]:
Main central caption (large letters): Caption: “UPPER EPIDERMIS”
[Main Mesophyll Area (Large bold letters in the center)]:
Caption: “LEAF MESOPHYLL”
[Palisade Layer (Left side, pointing to the vertical cells)]:
Rectangular block caption: Caption: “PALISADE CHLORENCHYMA”
[Spongy Layer & Characters (Center and right)]:
Rectangular block (middle-left): Caption: “SPONGY CHLORENCHYMA”
Speech bubble (character at the console, center-right):
Caption: “Chlorenchyma, pump the glucose! We are holding the Hardcore!” Rectangular block (far right): Caption: “SPONGY CHLORENCHYMA”
[Vascular Bundle & Lower Section (Center circle)]:
Circle central caption: Caption: “VASCULAR BUNDLE”. Caption with arrow (pointing to the yellow flow): Caption: “Vessel-Cannon” Caption with arrow (pointing to the green tubes): Caption: “Phloem-Special Forces”
[Lower Epidermis & Exit]:
Bottom horizontal layer caption: Caption: “LOWER EPIDERMIS”
Small caption at the very bottom (near the light exit): Caption: “SLUICE (STOMA)”
[Top Section Captions (Above the upper epidermis, near the warrior characters)]:
Top caption (in the center, between the warriors): Caption: “Mesophyll is under reliable protection!”
Inside the speech bubble (left warrior): Caption: “MESOPHYLL UNDER RELIABLE PROTECTION!”
[Upper Epidermis Layer]:
Main central caption (large letters): Caption: “UPPER EPIDERMIS”
[Main Mesophyll Area (Large bold letters in the center)]:
Caption: “LEAF MESOPHYLL”
[Palisade Layer (Left side, pointing to the vertical cells)]:
Rectangular block caption: Caption: “PALISADE CHLORENCHYMA”
[Spongy Layer & Characters (Center and right)]:
Rectangular block (middle-left): Caption: “SPONGY CHLORENCHYMA”
Speech bubble (character at the console, center-right):
Caption: “Chlorenchyma, pump the glucose! We are holding the Hardcore!” Rectangular block (far right): Caption: “SPONGY CHLORENCHYMA”
[Vascular Bundle & Lower Section (Center circle)]:
Circle central caption: Caption: “VASCULAR BUNDLE”. Caption with arrow (pointing to the yellow flow): Caption: “Vessel-Cannon” Caption with arrow (pointing to the green tubes): Caption: “Phloem-Special Forces”
[Lower Epidermis & Exit]:
Bottom horizontal layer caption: Caption: “LOWER EPIDERMIS”
Small caption at the very bottom (near the light exit): Caption: “SLUICE (STOMA)”
The ‘Mesophyll’ restaurant is open for business! The head chef is in a special mood today: serving signature glucose under a sauce of pure photons.
[Top Header & Protection Section]:
Main Header (Large letters, top center): Caption: “RESTAURANT ‘LEAF MESOPHYLL’: THE HEART OF ENERGY”. Top right (near the warriors): Caption: “Mesophyll is under reliable protection!” (with shield and swords icons)
[Upper Section (2nd Floor – Palisade)]:
Upper left (yellow block): Caption: “UPPER EPIDERMIS”. Below it (yellow block): Caption: “SECTOR: PALISADE CHLORENCHYMA (2nd Floor)”. Left side (vertical text): Caption: “PALISADE CHLORENCHYMA”
[Middle Section (The “Kitchen” activity)]:
Left console (monitors): Caption: “CO2 ANALYZER”; Caption: “O2 CONTROL”. Central area (near the main Chef): Caption: “GLUCOSE-PIPELINE”. Caption: “SUNLIGHT STATION”.
Chef’s Speech Bubble (Large, center): Caption: “Report accepted! The palisade shop is at full capacity, catching photons! The spongy shop ensures gas exchange and ‘respiration’. We are loading!”.
Above the Chef’s shoulder (Chat notification): Caption: “Chat: ‘Mesophyll’ Restaurant Dispatcher”
[Lower Section (1st Floor – Spongy)]:
Left side (vertical text): Caption: “SPONGY CHLORENCHYMA (1st Floor)” Left block (yellow): Caption: “SPONGY CHLORENCHYMA”
Bottom left (yellow block): Caption: “LOWER EPIDERMIS”
Bottom center (near the openings): Caption: “Stoma”; Caption: “Stoma”
Large bottom banner (green): Caption: “SPONGY LABYRINTH OF AERATION”
[Internal Transport & Logistics (Right side)]:
In the tubes/intercellular spaces: Caption: “Intercellular spaces”; Caption: “Intercellular spaces”; Caption: “Air-locks-Sluices”; Caption: “Aeration”
Inside the large pipe (Vascular bundle area): Caption: “GLUCOSE-PIPELINE (Glucose Pipeline)”
Speech bubble (bottom right characters): Caption: “Well done, Chlorenyas! We are ready. We will pick up the glucose, deliver the water to the roots and the mechanical HARDCORE! We have cooperation!”
Small Legend (bottom right corner): Caption: “Glucose”; Caption: “Water”; Caption: “Structure”
[Top Header & Protection Section]:
Main Header (Large letters, top center): Caption: “RESTAURANT ‘LEAF MESOPHYLL’: THE HEART OF ENERGY”. Top right (near the warriors): Caption: “Mesophyll is under reliable protection!” (with shield and swords icons)
[Upper Section (2nd Floor – Palisade)]:
Upper left (yellow block): Caption: “UPPER EPIDERMIS”. Below it (yellow block): Caption: “SECTOR: PALISADE CHLORENCHYMA (2nd Floor)”. Left side (vertical text): Caption: “PALISADE CHLORENCHYMA”
[Middle Section (The “Kitchen” activity)]:
Left console (monitors): Caption: “CO2 ANALYZER”; Caption: “O2 CONTROL”. Central area (near the main Chef): Caption: “GLUCOSE-PIPELINE”. Caption: “SUNLIGHT STATION”.
Chef’s Speech Bubble (Large, center): Caption: “Report accepted! The palisade shop is at full capacity, catching photons! The spongy shop ensures gas exchange and ‘respiration’. We are loading!”.
Above the Chef’s shoulder (Chat notification): Caption: “Chat: ‘Mesophyll’ Restaurant Dispatcher”
[Lower Section (1st Floor – Spongy)]:
Left side (vertical text): Caption: “SPONGY CHLORENCHYMA (1st Floor)” Left block (yellow): Caption: “SPONGY CHLORENCHYMA”
Bottom left (yellow block): Caption: “LOWER EPIDERMIS”
Bottom center (near the openings): Caption: “Stoma”; Caption: “Stoma”
Large bottom banner (green): Caption: “SPONGY LABYRINTH OF AERATION”
[Internal Transport & Logistics (Right side)]:
In the tubes/intercellular spaces: Caption: “Intercellular spaces”; Caption: “Intercellular spaces”; Caption: “Air-locks-Sluices”; Caption: “Aeration”
Inside the large pipe (Vascular bundle area): Caption: “GLUCOSE-PIPELINE (Glucose Pipeline)”
Speech bubble (bottom right characters): Caption: “Well done, Chlorenyas! We are ready. We will pick up the glucose, deliver the water to the roots and the mechanical HARDCORE! We have cooperation!”
Small Legend (bottom right corner): Caption: “Glucose”; Caption: “Water”; Caption: “Structure”
The captain’s bridge of a chloroplast. The command: ‘Full speed ahead to the light phase!’ The main thing is not to mix up the ATP and NADPH buttons.
[Main Central Caption (Yellow block)]: Caption: “CAPTAIN’S BRIDGE”
[Captain’s Speech Bubble]: Caption: “Light at 12 o’clock! The Sun has risen! Pumping glucose! 💰 Catching every photon! Chloroplasts, let’s work! We need resources for the whole Oak!”
Palisade parenchyma: office workers of the year. They stand at attention, catching the sun, and don’t take a break as long as the celestial lamp is shining! 
Spongy shop. Creative chaos and drafts reign here. Every cell knows: you can’t cook up photosynthesis without proper ventilation!
[Captions inside the panel (from top to bottom)]:
Top left (vertical text): Caption: “Aeration”
Upper section (left and right bubbles/labels): Caption: “CO2 + O2 ANALYZER”; Caption: “VENTILATION”
Central Speech Bubble (Right side): Caption: “Spongy Shop. Gas control. CO2 in, O2 out. Everything is stable. Light is weak, but respiration is normal!”
Gas logistics department. Carbon dioxide rushes in like a swift stream, oxygen is on its way out. The work is buzzing like a beehive! 
Coniferous life hacks: if space is tight, make the walls like an accordion! Plicate chlorenchyma is like a built-in wardrobe: small on the outside, but an abyss on the inside.”
[Main Header (Large letters, top center)]:
Caption: “SECRET OF THE PLICATE CHLORENCHYMA OF CONIFERS”
[Top Section (Warriors near the sun)]:
Speech bubble (left warrior): Caption: “There’s a secret warehouse there!” Speech bubble (right warrior): Caption: “Packed in like sardines!”
[Left Side (Comparison with typical palisade cells)]:
Rectangular block (top): Caption: “PALISADE CHLORENCHYMA”
Speech bubble (green cell character): Caption: “Hmm… it’s so simple. Plenty of space.”
Rectangular block (bottom): Caption: “PALISADE CHLORENCHYMA”
[Central Section (The Plicate Cell “Concert”)]:
Rectangular block (top): Caption: “PLICATE CHLORENCHYMA”
Caption with arrow (pointing to the fold): “Wall fold”
Speech bubble (character on the left): “We’re like at a concert! It’s crowded, but look how many of us there are!”
Speech bubble (character on the right): “Let’s squeeze in, brothers! There’s little light, but we need a lot of glucose!”
Caption with arrow (bottom left of the cell): “WALL FOLD”
[Right Side & Lower Section]:
Caption with arrow (top right): “WALL FOLD”
Speech bubble (bottom right character): Caption: “Brilliant architecture! Folds mean surface area!”
Rectangular block (far right): Caption: “EPIDERMIS WITH CUTICLE”
Yellow block (bottom right): Caption: “PINE NEEDLE IN CROSS-SECTION”
Customs control zone in front of the stomata. ‘Your exit documents? Water vapor? Pass through. Oxygen? You’re welcome!’ 
Those very same stoma-doors. When turgor pressure mounts – the doors are wide open! When water is scarce – we lock up tight on all bolts, it’s a lunch break. 
The night shift at ‘Mesophyll’. The lights are out, but we are not sleeping – we are burning sugar, breathing deeply. Preparing for the morning rush! 
Morning coffee on the roof of the leaf! The sun has risen, the hero is at his post. ‘I’m back in formation, where is my carbon dioxide?!’ A new day – a new portion of magic.
Mesophyll Team, or Who’s the Master of the Leaf
I’ll tell you, dear sirs, of a bright green crew,
That plays in each leaf, starting life anew.
There’s the Captain on deck – with a gaze like a blade,
“Work sober, chloroplasts!”– the command has been made.
And here is the Chef, with a hat and a flair,
Cooking sugar from light and the thinnest of air!
In the Palisade office – the staff is elite,
Standing straight, catching sun – they just can’t be beat.
That plays in each leaf, starting life anew.
There’s the Captain on deck – with a gaze like a blade,
“Work sober, chloroplasts!”– the command has been made.
And here is the Chef, with a hat and a flair,
Cooking sugar from light and the thinnest of air!
In the Palisade office – the staff is elite,
Standing straight, catching sun – they just can’t be beat.
In the Spongy-cell shop – there is chaos and drafts,
Logisticians chase gases through ventilation shafts.
The Stoma-guard opens the gates to the hall,
But only for those with the “turgor” to call.
Among conifers – Architects folded the walls,
To fit a whole world in those narrowest halls.
And at sunrise – the Hero appears on the crest,
To welcome the Sun and start a new quest!
Logisticians chase gases through ventilation shafts.
The Stoma-guard opens the gates to the hall,
But only for those with the “turgor” to call.
Among conifers – Architects folded the walls,
To fit a whole world in those narrowest halls.
And at sunrise – the Hero appears on the crest,
To welcome the Sun and start a new quest!
🎭 The Moral of the Humoresque:
Study, dear students, this green “kitchen” with care,
Lest licensing exams catch you unaware!
The tissues are many, like waves in the sea,
With clues and with evidence for you to see:
The Palisade’s straight, like soldiers on guard,
The Spongy is fluffy, so breathing’s not hard!
And the Plicate in conifers – an architect’s play:
Walls folded for workers in a crowded array!
For if you don’t grasp where the gas or sugar goes,
The stern botanist “fails” you – and everyone knows.
But know the whole structure, like Glazovyi’s wit,
And you’ll pass every final – a perfect hit!
P.S.:
Palisade parenchyma – Photosynthesis! ⬆️
Spongy parenchyma – Gas exchange! 〰️
Plicate parenchyma – Conifers (Pinophyta)! ➡️🌳
Study, dear students, this green “kitchen” with care,
Lest licensing exams catch you unaware!
The tissues are many, like waves in the sea,
With clues and with evidence for you to see:
The Palisade’s straight, like soldiers on guard,
The Spongy is fluffy, so breathing’s not hard!
And the Plicate in conifers – an architect’s play:
Walls folded for workers in a crowded array!
For if you don’t grasp where the gas or sugar goes,
The stern botanist “fails” you – and everyone knows.
But know the whole structure, like Glazovyi’s wit,
And you’ll pass every final – a perfect hit!
P.S.:
Palisade parenchyma – Photosynthesis! ⬆️
Spongy parenchyma – Gas exchange! 〰️
Plicate parenchyma – Conifers (Pinophyta)! ➡️🌳