xylem
"Xylem is like the plumbing system of a plant, transporting water and minerals vertically through the plant from the roots to the leaves."
"Xylem is the water transporting tissue in plants. One odd feature about xylem is its cells die when they reach maturity. Xylem is like a long series of soda straws linked end-to-end. There are two types of xylem cells that conduct water: tracheids and vessels. Vessels are better at transporting water than tracheids because they are wider and have less obstructions. "
"Xylem is like tiny straws
and transports water and
minerals from the soil to
other parts of the plant "
"This pulling force is called transpiration pull. The water in the xylem is like a long column. As the top of the column is pulled (transpiration), the rest of the column is pulled with it, called tension. Water can be pulled so high in plants because of the small size of the individual xylem and the cohesive properties of water. The same hydrogen bonds that account for water's high specific heat give water a cohesive property that allows the xylem to act like a contiguous column."
"Without the xylem in the stems, however, the water would never make it from the roots to the leaves! The xylem is like a pipeline filled made up of hollow cells.
To see this botanical boulevard at work, you'll need:"
METAMIA is a free database of analogy and metaphor. Anyone can contribute or search. The subject matter can be anything. Science is popular, but poetry is encouraged. The goal is to integrate our fluid muses with the stark literalism of a relational database. Metamia is like a girdle for your muses, a cognitive girdle.