The upcoming discussion will update you about the differences between Protophloem and Metaphloem.
Difference # Protophloem:
1. It is the first formed phloem when the plant organ is growing.
2. Protophloem is comparatively less prominent.
3. It is made up of smaller and narrower elements.
4. Sieve areas or pores are not prominent.
5. Companion cells are often absent.
6. Protophloem is short lived and gets crushed.
7. In the region of crushed protophloem, fibres often develop from specialized cells.
Difference # Metaphloem:
1. It is the later formed phloem which differentiates when the plant organ has completed its growth.
2. Metaphloem is quite prominent.
3. It is made up of longer and broader elements.
4. Sieve areas or sieve pores are quite prominent.
5. Companion cells or their equivalents are usually present.
6. It is long-lived but can be crushed during secondary growth.
7. Fibres may be present but specialized cells do not occur.