Maize (Zea mays L.) is a monocotyledonous plant whose anatomical structure has been well studied. It resembles other grasses in the arrangement of tissues in the stem, leaf, and

Biomass Recalcitrance: Deconstructing the Plant Cell Wall for Bioenergy. Edited by Michael. E. Himmel © 2008 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. ISBN: 978-1-405-16360-6

Zea mays stem cell types

Primary cell walls

Parenchyma

Phloem

Air spaces

Intercellular air space Lacuna

Secondary cell walls

Vessel (protoxylem) Vessel (metaxylem) Bundle sheath Sclerenchyma (fibers) Epidermis

Figure 3.1 Transverse section of maize stem showing cell types.

root. The stems of monocots generally have epidermis, scattered vascular bundles, and parenchyma pith (Figure 3.1).