(botany) tissue that conducts synthesized food substances (e.g., from leaves) to parts where needed; consists primarily of sieve tubes [syn: phloem, bast]
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.
[1913 Webster]
