Definition - What does Xylem mean?
Xylem is the name for a plant’s vascular tissue that transports water and minerals from the root system to the other parts of the plant, and it also gives the plant structural support. The xylem tissue is made up of special cells called trachea which absorb water with parenchyma cells and plant fibers assisting in physical structure. Xylem is found in all vascular plants which include seedless plants, mosses, ferns, flowering plants and plants that have seeds exposed.
WineFrog explains Xylem
In grapevines, the xylem is the woody tissue inside of the shoots, which transports water and nutrients from the root system to the leaves and berries. The xylem has many layers composed of supporting fibers, water-conducting tubes to help pull water up from the soil and cells used for storage and transport. As the plant grows, the xylem tissue expands by building new layers or secondary xylem over the primary xylem tissue. The inner xylem dies and becomes a hard skeleton that only offers structural support, and the outer xylem continues to transport water and minerals. In a cross section of woody stems, the xylem can be seen as rings that indicate the new layer growth and age of the plant.