No, the stomata itself is not bean-shaped.
Understanding Stomata and Guard Cells
Stomata are tiny pores found on the surface of leaves and stems of plants. Their primary function is gas exchange, allowing carbon dioxide to enter for photosynthesis and oxygen to exit as a byproduct. Crucially, each stoma is surrounded by two specialized cells called guard cells. These guard cells are the ones that are bean-shaped. They regulate the opening and closing of the stoma, controlling the rate of gas exchange.
Think of it like this: the stoma is the opening, and the guard cells are the bean-shaped gates controlling that opening.
- Stoma: The pore itself; a tiny opening.
- Guard cells: The two bean-shaped cells flanking the stoma, controlling its size.
The provided reference explicitly states: "Each stoma has two bean-shaped cells called guard cells". This clarifies that the bean shape refers to the guard cells, not the stoma itself.
