granulose

Granulose is a botanical term used to describe plant tissue or cells that are rich in starch granules, giving a granular appearance under microscopic examination. The word derives from an old Latin root meaning a small grain. Granulose is not a distinct chemical compound; rather, it denotes storage tissue in which starch accumulates within plastids called amyloplasts during tissue maturation.

Granulose tissue is commonly found in storage tissues such as seed endosperm, cotyledons, tubers, and certain fruit pulps. The starch reserves stored in granulose cells serve as an energy source to support germination and early seedling growth. The starch granules within these cells can vary in size and staining properties, reflecting differences in amylose and amylopectin composition and in developmental stage.

In anatomical descriptions, granulose tissue is typically contrasted with more structural, non-storage tissues such as sclerenchyma or collenchyma. Mature granulose cells often exhibit dense cytoplasm with prominent starch deposits, and their appearance can change with dehydration or clearing for microscopic study. In fresh material, the high starch content can influence translucence and refractive properties.

The term granulose appears more frequently in older botanical literature; modern usage often frames this concept in terms of starch-rich parenchyma or amyloplast-containing storage tissue rather than as a stand-alone classification. Nevertheless, granulose remains a useful descriptive label for tissues whose defining feature is predominant starch accumulation.