Xylem is composed of what type of cells?

• A. Stores pigments.
• B. Transports sugars.
• C. Composed of non-living cells.
• D. Composed of living cells.

Answer: (C)

Xylem carries water and minerals from the roots upward, and its conducting elements—tracheids and vessel elements—are dead at maturity. They become hollow tubes with thick, lignified walls, forming non-living conduits that allow water to move efficiently without cytoplasmic resistance. This is why the statement that xylem is composed of non-living cells is the best description. (Phloem, in contrast, relies on living cells to transport sugars.)