noun Botany.
- supporting or protective tissue composed of thickened, dry, and hardened cells.
noun
- a supporting tissue in plants consisting of dead cells with very thick lignified walls
- A supportive tissue of vascular plants, consisting of thick-walled, usually lignified cells. Sclerenchyma cells normally die upon reaching maturity but continue to fulfill their structural purpose in the plant. There are two types of sclerenchyma cells: fiber cells and sclereids. Compare collenchyma parenchyma.