Sclerenchyma

One of the three main ground tissues (the others being Collenchyma and Parenchyma). These cells provide firm structural support to a plant, appearing as layers, strands or bundles of often significantly lignified cells, which decompose slowly, in contrast to the cell constituents of cellulose and hemi-cellulose. There are two types of sclerenchyma: Fibres and Sclereids.