what is xylem characterized by
xylem. the woody vascular tissue of a plant, characterized by the presence of vessels or tracheids or both, fibers, and parenchyma, that conducts water and mineral salts in the stems, roots, and leaves and gives support to the softer tissues. German; from Classical Greek xylon, wood. Origin of xylem.
noun. Xylem vessels in a leaf skeleton. Xylem vessels in a leaf skeleton. Xylem is a type of tissue in plants that carries water. An example of xylem is what moves water and some nutrients through a plant.