Vessel Elements

Vessel elements are a kind of water-conducting cell which are mostly only found in Angiosperms. These cells can be stacked to form wide, long pipes, known as vessels, which transport water across the plant; they often are stacked in pipes as small as the length of two cells to 30–50 cells long.

Vessel elements are short and wide cells. They have multiple pits perforating the laterals, sides, and ends of the Secondary Cell Wall. Unlike Tracheids, they do not taper at both ends; instead, both ends have a large opening known as a perforation plate.

Vessel elements are far more efficient than tracheids. However, they lack pit membranes and are more susceptible to embolisms; when these occur, the vessels are fully destroyed.