Water and minerals are transported up through the plant stem in xylem vessels. Xylem is a tissue consisting of dead, hollowed-out cells that form a system of pipes.

The resultant chemical potential gradient drives water influx across the root and into the xylem. No root pressure exists in rapidly transpiring plants, but it has been suggested that in some ...

As water travels through the xylem in the stem and leaf, it is being replaced by water taken up by the roots. Photosynthesis produces glucose in the green parts of plants, which are often leaves.