spongy parenchyma

American  

noun

Botany.

1. the lower layer of the ground tissue of a leaf, characteristically containing irregularly shaped cells with relatively few chloroplasts and large intercellular spaces.

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spongy parenchyma Scientific  

/ spŭn′jē /

1. A layer of cells in the interior of leaves, consisting of loosely arranged, irregularly shaped cells that have chloroplasts. The spongy parenchyma has many spaces between cells to facilitate the circulation of air and the exchange of gases. It lies just below the palisade layer.

2. Also called spongy mesophyll

3. See more at photosynthesis

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Etymology

Origin of spongy parenchyma

First recorded in 1880–85

Example Sentences

Abies, Tsuga, Larix, &c., the mesophyll is heterogeneous, consisting of palisade and spongy parenchyma.

From Project Gutenberg