When rhytidome is removed, which vital part of the plant is removed?

Options

A. Phloem
B. Phloem and cambium
C. Cortex and phloem
D. None of these

Answer

To answer the question, "When rhytidome is removed, which vital part of the plant is removed?", we can follow these steps:

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Define Rhytidome**:
- Rhytidome is the outer layer of a plant's bark. It consists of the dead tissue that forms on the outside of the plant, which includes the last formed periderm.

2. **Understand the Structure of Rhytidome**:
- Rhytidome is made up of the bark and the periderm. The periderm itself consists of three layers:
- **Phelloderm** (inner layer)
- **Phellogen** (cork cambium)
- **Phellem** (outer layer)

3. **Identify What Lies Beneath Rhytidome**:
- Beneath the rhytidome, we find the living tissues such as the phloem, cortex, and cambium. The phloem is responsible for transporting nutrients.

4. **Determine the Impact of Removing Rhytidome**:
- When rhytidome is removed, it primarily takes away the bark, which includes the phellem, phellogen, and phelloderm. However, the phloem and cambium remain intact.

5. **Conclusion**:
- The vital part that is removed when rhytidome is taken away includes the bark and the periderm layers (phellem, phellogen, and phelloderm). Therefore, the answer to the question is that the removal of rhytidome affects the bark and its components.

### Final Answer:
- The vital part of the plant that is removed when rhytidome is taken away is the bark, including the phellem, phellogen, and phelloderm.