Question

Is sclerenchyma a type of ground tissue?

Answer 1

Ground tissue is regarded as the tissue of the plant other than periderm, epidermis, dermal tissues and vascular tissues. Cortex and pith are main subtypes of ground tissue. Protoxylem, bast fibre sclerenchyma, xylem and phloem are other ground tissues. Ground tissue arises from the ground tissue meristem in plants and is of mainly three types.

Complete answer
The three types of ground tissue are parenchyma, collenchyma and sclerenchyma. Parenchyma is a living thin-walled tissue and collenchyma is a living support tissue with irregular walls.
Sclerenchyma acts as a shoot support to the areas where the growth has ceased.
Sclerenchyma, when it becomes mature, is composed of dead cells. It has heavily thickened walls, consisting of lignin and higher cellulose content ($60 - 80\%$), thereby serving as the structural support in plants. Sclerenchyma cells contain two types of cell walls, namely primary cell wall and secondary cell wall.

Sclerenchyma possess different sizes, structures and shapes, though sclereids and fibres are the main types. The cells of the tissue are usually rigid and non-stretchable. Generally, they are present in the non growing region of plant bodies like bark and mature stems.

Fibres are elongated cells, which occur in strands or bundles. They are found everywhere in plants like root, stem and vascular bundle of leaves. They serve as significant raw materials for woven goods and textiles.

Sclereids occur in fruits and leaves. They are the constituents of nuts and outer hard coats of many seeds. They are responsible for the gritty texture of guavas and pears.

Note:
While epidermal tissues are involved in mediating the interactions between the environment and plant, ground tissues are involved in conducting the basic functions like food storage, support and photosynthesis. Ground tissues provide support for leaves and stems, keep them alive and work well. Parenchyma constitute a majority of ground tissue, with collenchyma and sclerenchyma contributing some amounts.