Tree fluid most commonly refers to sap, a vital liquid found within trees and other vascular plants.
Understanding Sap: The Key Tree Fluid
Sap is essential for a tree's survival and growth. It acts as the tree's circulatory system, transporting necessary substances throughout the plant.
Sap: The Sticky Liquid from Trees
As highlighted by descriptions found in various contexts, including crossword clues, sap is often known as the "sticky liquid from trees". This description matches the term SAP. While not all tree fluids are sticky (e.g., pure water in xylem), the term "sap" frequently brings to mind the sugary, viscous substance.
What Sap Does
Sap performs critical functions within a tree:
- Transports Water and Minerals: Carries water absorbed by the roots up to the leaves (xylem sap).
- Transports Sugars: Moves sugars produced during photosynthesis from the leaves to other parts of the tree for energy or storage (phloem sap). Phloem sap is typically the stickier type due to its high sugar content.
- Carries Nutrients and Hormones: Distributes essential nutrients and signaling molecules throughout the plant.
Types of Sap
There are primarily two types of sap, each serving a different purpose and traveling in a specific part of the tree's vascular system:
- Xylem Sap: Primarily water and dissolved minerals, moving upwards from the roots.
- Phloem Sap: Primarily water and sugars (like sucrose), along with amino acids, hormones, and other organic molecules, moving throughout the plant. This is often the "sticky" fluid referred to.
While sap is the main internal fluid, trees can also produce other liquids like resin (a sticky, aromatic substance often used for protection) and latex (a milky substance found in some trees), but these are distinct from sap's primary transport role.
