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THC Living Plant Atlas system
Stem & Vascular System
Stem anatomy, support, xylem, phloem, vascular cambium, secondary growth, transport, source-sink allocation, internodal spacing, hydraulics, damage response, and recovery.
10 structured lessons7 learning goals12 indexed topics
System progress
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Next unfinished lessonStem cross-section
Continue learningConnected biology
This system does not work alone.
The stem is the transport and support bridge between roots, expanding shoots, leaves, branches, and reproductive sinks.
Follow the connection
Root SystemRoot architecture, root-tip growth zones, lateral-root initiation, root hairs, rhizosphere exchange, radial water transport, aquaporins, oxygen availability, water and nutrient uptake, microbiomes, exudates, mycorrhizal interfaces, and root stress.Nodes & BranchingNode and phytomer anatomy, axillary-bud establishment and release, apical dominance, phyllotaxy, developmental transitions, pruning plasticity, topping, FIM, LST, mainlining, SCROG, and branch biomechanics.LeavesLeaf tissue anatomy, morphogenesis, leaflet complexity, photosynthesis, stomata, transpiration, leaf age, energy balance, inspection, and observation-first symptom interpretation.FlowersFemale flower anatomy, condensed inflorescence architecture, reproductive phytomers, floral meristems, bracts, ovary and ovule, stigmas, photoperiod-driven shoot-apex reorganization, pollination, maturation, senescence, trichome development, and disease-risk inspection.
Developmental context
Measure or record with it
- Internode length
- Stem diameter
- Water demand
- Physical injury location
Interactive visual lab
Vascular Transport Lab
Xylem and phloem are different transport tissues. Xylem mainly carries water and mineral nutrients from roots toward transpiring tissues; phloem distributes sugars and other transported compounds between source and sink tissues.
Toggle transport tissue
Xylem
- Typical direction
- Root → shoot / leaf
- Main cargo
- Water + dissolved mineral nutrients
- Primary driver
- Water-potential gradients, cohesion-tension, root and hydraulic forces
Transpiration strongly influences bulk xylem flow, but transport is part of a continuous soil-plant-atmosphere hydraulic system.
Pair the visual with these observations
leaf transpiration demandroot water statusstem injury or constrictionactive source leavesrapidly growing sink tissuesflower and root demand
Learning objectives
What this system should teach
Visual curriculum
Stem & Vascular System lesson sequence
Each lesson is structured around a visual reference so the Atlas can replace dry text-first learning with observation and diagrams.Lesson 01
Stem cross-section
Identify epidermal, cortex, vascular, and pith regions in a simplified cannabis stem cross-section.
Open visual lessonLabeled stem cross-section
Lesson 02
Xylem transport
Follow water and dissolved mineral movement from roots toward transpiring shoots and leaves.
Open visual lessonXylem upward-flow animation
Lesson 03
Phloem transport
Follow movement of photosynthate from source tissues toward growing and storage sinks throughout the plant.
Open visual lessonSource-to-sink phloem map
Lesson 04
Internodal spacing
Connect internode length to developmental stage, genetics, light environment, temperature, and growth rate rather than treating it as a single-variable trait.
Open visual lessonInternode comparison ruler
Lesson 05
Damage & recovery
See how bending, crushing, pruning, and breakage affect support and transport and why damage severity matters.
Open visual lessonStem damage response sequence
Lesson 06
Source-sink integration
Connect mature exporting leaves with changing sinks such as expanding shoots, roots, flowers, and developing seeds to understand how phloem allocation shifts through development.
Open visual lessonWhole-plant source-sink allocation network
Lesson 07
Vascular cambium & secondary growth
Follow the transition from primary growth toward radial thickening as vascular cambium produces additional secondary xylem inward and secondary phloem outward, while recognizing that tissue development changes along the age gradient of the stem.
Open visual lessonCannabis stem primary-to-secondary growth cross-section sequence
Lesson 08
Bast fibers & structural support
Locate cellulose-rich bast fiber bundles toward the stem periphery and the more lignified xylem-rich inner core, then connect tissue position, maturation, and cell-wall composition to mechanical support.
Open visual lessonCannabis stem support-tissue cutaway with bast fiber and xylem callouts
Lesson 09
Cohesion-tension & water potential
Trace how transpiration and water-potential gradients place xylem sap under tension and help move a continuous water column from roots toward leaves without describing the stem as an active pump.
Open visual lessonSoil-root-stem-leaf water-potential gradient diagram
Lesson 10
Hydraulic disruption & embolism
Understand how excessive xylem tension, wounding, freeze-thaw events, or other disruptions can introduce gas into conduits and reduce hydraulic conductivity, while avoiding unsupported cultivar-specific thresholds.
Open visual lessonFunctional versus embolized xylem conduit comparison
Reference index
Topics connected to this system
XylemPhloemVascular cambiumSecondary growthBast fibersStem elongationInternodal spacingSource-sink transportCohesion-tensionHydraulic disruptionTraining responseStem damage