what is aerenchyma class 9

Aerenchyma is a modified parenchymatous tissue containing air chambers between cells. It is characterized by wide intracellular air gaps found in aquatic plants, which enables gaseous exchange. Aerenchyma formation and hypoxia are related because when soil is flooded, hypoxia develops, and the presence of hypoxic soils is one of the defining characteristics of wetlands. Many wetland plants possess aerenchyma, and in some, such as water-lilies, there is a continuous network of aerenchyma throughout the plant. The function of aerenchyma is to facilitate the diffusion of gases between the plant and its environment, and due to the large air cavities present in them, they give buoyancy and help aquatic plants to float.