A
vessel element is one of the cell types found in
xylem, the water conducting tissue of plants. Vessel elements are typically found in the
angiosperms but absent from most
gymnosperms such as the
conifers.
Vessel elements are the building blocks of vessels, which constitute the major part of the water transporting system in the plants where they occur. Vessels form an efficient system for transporting water (including necessary minerals) from the root to the leaves and other parts of the plant.
In secondary xylem, a vessel element originates from a fusiform initial in the cambium, at maturity the protoplast dies and disappears, but the lignified cell walls persist. It may be seen as a dead cell, which still has a function, and is still being protected by surrounding living cells.
The cell wall is strongly lignified. At both ends there are openings that connect the individual vessel elements. These are called perforations or perforation plates. These perforations may have a variety of shapes the most common are the simple perforation (a simple opening) and the scalariform perforation (several elongated openings on top of each other in a ladder-like design). Other types include the foraminate perforation plate (several round openings) and reticulate perforation plate (net-like pattern, with many openings). The side walls will have pits, and may have spiral thickenings.
