Summary
Plants, like all living things, are mostly water. Water is the matrix of life, and its availability determines the distribution and productivity of plants on earth. Vascular plants evolved structures that enable them to transport water long distances with little input of energy, but the hollow tracheary elements are just one of many adaptations that enable plants to cope with a very dry atmosphere. This lecture examines the physical laws that govern water uptake and transport, the biological properties of cells and plant tissues that facilitate it, and the strategies that enable plants to survive in diverse environments