(botany) tissue that conducts synthesized food substances (e.g., from leaves) to parts where needed

• Xylem counterpart
• Food-conducting plant tissue
• Innermost layer of tree bark
• Consists primarily of sieve tubes

The Collaborative International Dictionary Word definitions in The Collaborative International Dictionary
Phloem \Phlo"["e]m\, n. [Gr. ? bark.] (Bot.) That portion of fibrovascular bundles which corresponds to the inner bark; the liber tissue; -- distinguished from xylem.

WordNet Word definitions in WordNet
n. (botany) tissue that conducts synthesized food substances (e.g., from leaves) to parts where needed; consists primarily of sieve tubes [syn: bast ]

Wiktionary Word definitions in Wiktionary
n. (context botany English) A vascular tissue in land plants primarily responsible for the distribution of sugars and nutrients manufactured in the shoot.

Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary Word definitions in Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1870, from German phloëm (1858), coined by German botanist Karl Wilhelm von Nägeli (1817-1891) from Greek phloos , phloios "bark of trees," of uncertain origin, + passive suffix -ema .

Wikipedia Word definitions in Wikipedia
In vascular plants , phloem is the living tissue that carries organic nutrients (known as photosynthate ), in particular, sucrose , a sugar, to all parts of the plant where needed. In trees , the phloem is the innermost layer of the bark , hence the name, ...