What is spongy mesophyll and palisade mesophyll?

Question

Sebastian Alvarez · Accepted Answer

Spongy mesophyll and palisade mesophyll are types of cells involved in the the processes leading up to photosynthesis as well as photosynthesis itself and are located in the leaves of vascular plants.

Monocot leaves usually have 1 type of mesophyll; however, eudicots tend to have 2 types of mesophyll - the spongy and palisade. These cells, as can be deduced, contain chloroplast.

As can be seen in the image below (and without reiterating too much of the information), palisade mesophyll exhibits high levels of photosynthesis and the spongy mesophyll allows for interchange of gases.

(Zachary Hibberd, https://tutor.hix.ai)

Benjamin Alvin · Answer

undefined The two types of tissues that make up the leaf mesophyll layer of plants are called spaty mesophyll and palisade mesophyll. Palisade mesophyll is made up of long, tightly packed cells that are found beneath the upper epidermis. These cells are primarily responsible for photosynthesis and contain many chloroplasts. On the other hand, spaty mesophyll is found beneath the palisade mesophyll and is made up of irregularly arranged cells that have gaps between them. The cells in the spatchy mesophyll are also packed irregularly and contain many chloroplasts, which help in photosynthesis and facilitate gas exchange through the leaf.