| Sclerenchyma | Parenchyma | |
| Cells are thick-walled and lignified. | Cells are thin-walled and unspecialised. | |
| Tissues are made up of dead cells. | These are living cells. | |
| No intercellular spaces between the cells are found. | Cells are usually loosely packed with large intercellular space. | |
| Provides strength to the plant parts. | Stores nutrient and water in stem and roots. | |
| The cells are long and narrow, make the plant hard and stiff. The tissue is present in the stem around vascular bundles, in the veins of leaves and the hard covering of seed and nuts. | Some cells contain chlorophyll called chorenchyma and perform photosynthesis. Other cells have large air cavities called aerenchyma which provide buoyancy to the Hydrophytic plants. | |
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