The epidermis is a single layer of cells that covers the leaves, flowers, roots, and stems of plants. It protects against water loss, regulates gas exchange, and absorbs water and mineral nutrients. Epidermal cells are tightly linked and provide mechanical strength and protection. The walls of above ground epidermal cells contain cutin and a cuticle that reduces water loss. Stomata are pores found in the leaf and stem epidermis that are bordered by guard cells and used for gas exchange, with the guard cells regulating the pore size.

1. Epidermis

2. Description of epidermis The epidermis is a single-layered group of cells that covers plants' leaves, flowers, roots and stems. it protects against water loss, regulates gas exchange, secretes metabolic compounds, and (especially in roots) absorbs water and mineral nutrients is the outermost cell layer of the primary plant body, it is the dermal tissue system of leaves (diagrammed below), stems, roots, flowers, fruits, and seeds; it is usually transparent (epidermal cells lack chloroplasts, except for the guard cells.

3. Epidermal cells are tightly linked to each other and provide mechanical strength and protection to the plant. The walls of the epidermal cells of the above ground parts of plants contain cutin, and are covered with a cuticle. The cuticle reduces water loss to the atmosphere, it is sometimes covered with wax in smooth sheets or long filaments.

5. stomata

6. Parts of stomata

7. stomata is a pore, found in the leaf and stem epidermis that is used for gas exchange. The pore is bordered by a pair of specialized parenchyma cells known as guard cells which are responsible for regulating the size of the opening and are the closest thing a plant has to a muscle.

8. Function Carbon gain and water loss Alternative approaches CAM plants Opening and closure